The Disease

Rotavirus is a virus (bug) that is a common cause of diarrhoea in children. Though many children die throughout the world from rotavirus infections, children infected in the UK rarely become seriously ill. Several thousand children are admitted to hospital every year in the UK with dehydration caused by rotavirus diarrhoea, it is extremely rare for children to die form rotavirus in the UK.

The Vaccine

A rotavirus vaccine was first introduced in the USA in 1998; however, it was withdrawn the following year because it caused intussusception, a potentially serious gut disorder, causing obstruction of the bowel that requires surgery in some children. Since then two new vaccines have been introduced: Rotarix in 2004, and RotaTeq in 2006. So far, there is no evidence that the new vaccines cause intussusception, but there remains a possibility that intussusception could be a rare, but yet undetected, side-effect. Rotarix, offered by BabyJabs, is a ‘live’ vaccine, containing live rotavirus that has been altered to become relatively harmless. It is given by mouth, not by injection.

The vaccine protects 7-8 out of 10 children against any rotavirus infection, but protects 9 out of 10 against more severe infection.¹

The vaccine commonly causes loss of appetite and irritability, and may also cause fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, wind and abdominal pain.

The choices

Rotarix
Type of vaccine:	Single live oral rotavirus vaccine
Manufacturer:	GlaxoSmithKline
Protects against:	Rotavirus
Active ingredients:	Human rotavirus RIX4414 strain
Mercury content:	Nil
Aluminium content:	Nil
Other ingredients:	Dextran Sorbitol Amino Acids
Primary course:	2 doses are given by mouth, at least four weeks apart, before 24 weeks of age
Boosters:	No booster is given

The supply of single and small combination vaccines may change over time. At BabyJabs we are on the constant lookout for safe and effective vaccines to offer your child. We may obtain different vaccines to those listed above. We will only offer you alternative vaccines if we are completely confident of their safety and efficacy.


Go back to vaccines at a glance

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¹ Angel J, Franco MA, Greenberg HB. Rotavirus vaccines: recent developments and future considerations. Nature Reviews Microbiology 2007: 5: 529-39.