3/8/2015

RotavirusVaccine(RV):ScheduleandSideEffects

Search
Symptoms |

HEALTH A-Z

Doctors |

HealthCareReform

DRUGS & SUPPLEMENTS

LIVING HEALTHY

FAMILY & PREGNANCY

ArticleLink:http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/rotavirusrvvaccine

Tools & Resources

Cold and Flu Remedies

Science or Science Fiction?

Map: Who Is Refusing Vaccines?

Expert Q&A: Vaccine Safety

Vaccines for Adults

Alternate Vaccine Schedule

Listen Share this:

Rotavirus (RV) Vaccine

In this article
How Big a Problem Is Rotavirus Infection?
How Is the Rotavirus Vaccine Given?
How Effective Is the Rotavirus Vaccine?
Is the Rotavirus Vaccine Safe?
Are There Some Children Who Shouldn't Have the Rotavirus Vaccine?
What Are the Side Effects of the Rotavirus Vaccine?
Rotavirus gets its name from the fact that, under a microscope, the virus resembles a wheel. And you could
say, like you might say about a wheel, rotavirus goes round and round. This nasty, potentially lethal bug
causes severe acute gastroenteritis with diarrhea and vomiting, primarily in infants and young children.
Fortunately, there are two rotavirus vaccines that can protect children from this disease.

RemediesforNauseaandVomiting

How Big a Problem Is Rotavirus Infection?

Prior to the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus infection was responsible for 200,000
http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/rotavirusrvvaccine

1/2

3/8/2015

RotavirusVaccine(RV):ScheduleandSideEffects

emergency room visits, 55,000 hospitalizations, and 60 to 65 deaths each year in the U.S. Worldwide, it is
the leading cause of severe diarrhea among young children, leading to 2 million hospitalizations and more
than500,000 deaths of children ages 5 and under annually. Older children and adults can also be infected
with the virus, but the illness is generally milder.
Rotavirus disease is highly contagious. The germ is present in the stool of an infected person and can remain
viable for a long time on contaminated surfaces, including people's hands. Children catch it by touching
something that's contaminated and then putting their hands in their mouth. The spread of rotavirus
infection is a particular problem in hospitals and in day care settings, where it can be easily spread from
child to child. It's also easily spread by day care workers, especially when they change diapers without
washing their hands afterward.
Symptoms of rotavirus infection, which may last up to eight days, include fever, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal cramps, and frequent, watery diarrhea. If it's severe enough, the diarrhea can cause dehydration
and it's the dehydration that's responsible for the hospitalizations and deaths associated with this disease.

How Is the Rotavirus Vaccine Given?

There are two brands of the rotavirus vaccine -- RotaTeq (RV5) and Rotarix (RV1). Both vaccines are given
orally, not as a shot. The only difference is the number of doses that need to be given.
With RotaTeq, three doses are required. They should be given at ages 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months.
Rotarix only requires two doses -- at 2 months and 4 months.
The vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines, and the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that the rotavirus vaccine be included as part of the routine immunizations given to infants.

1 | 2

NEXTPAGE>

Further Reading:

Top Picks

Slideshow: Childhood Illnesses

Every Parent Should Know

Soothing Cold and Flu

Symptoms

What are bacterial and viral

infections?

WebMD's Future of Health: 5

Medical Breakthroughs

Bacterial vs. Viral Infections:

Causes and Treatments

Why Are Measles Cases

Increasing?

Rotavirus-Related Information Expert Q&A with the CDC:

Vaccine Safety
Rotavirus-Topic Overview
Should You Space Out Your
Viral Tests
Child's Vaccines?
Gastroenteritis Treatment
Who Is Refusing Vaccines?
SeeAllRotavirusTopics
State By State Map

http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/rotavirusrvvaccine

2/2