Progress toward Rotavirus Vaccines

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 312; no. 5775; pp. 851 - 852
• Main Authors: Parashar, Umesh D., Glass, Roger I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington American Association for the Advancement of Science 12.05.2006; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Child development; Children; Children & youth; Developing countries; Diarrhea; Immunization; LDCs; Policy Forums; Press releases; Public health; R&D; Research & development; Rotavirus; Rotavirus vaccines; Vaccination; Vaccines; Viruses
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1128827

Many parents and even some decision-makers in public health do not know what rotavirus is, but most pediatricians are well aware of the potentially serious consequences of this common childhood infection. Rotavirus is ubiquitous, infecting children in industrialized and developing countries in the first few years of life. Rotavirus infections cause diarrhea and vomiting that is often mild, but can be severe enough in the United States to bring more than 600,000 children to their doctors, clinics, or emergency rooms; they can lead to the hospitalization of 55,000 to 70,000 and the deaths of 20 to 60 children each year. These visits and complications incur medical and societal costs estimated at $1 billion per year. In the developing world, where access to lifesaving rehydration therapy is suboptimal, rotavirus is responsible for more fatal cases of diarrhea than any other single pathogen. Each year, the disease results in about 600,000 deaths among children or about 5% of all childhood deaths.