New Oral Vaccine May Offer Hope Against Rotavirus
In many underdeveloped countries, the rotavirus remains one of the leading causes of child death, killing almost 500,000 every year, and causing serious health risks in children who have less severe cases.
But a new vaccine may offer hope in eliminating the severe symptoms that often lead to dehydration and death, such as vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
Two studies have confirmed that this new vaccine is safe for use on infants and children. The first was conducted on 2,036 infants aged 4 weeks to 12 weeks in the Asian countries of Bangladesh and Vietnam, where the rotavirus is still prevalent.
The second study was conducted on 5,468 children between the ages of 4 weeks and 12 weeks in several African nations, including Ghana, Mali, and Kenya. In each study, the effectiveness was found to be between 39% and 48%, with limited side effects, despite the young age of the patients.
According to the study leaders at the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, the studies proved that the vaccine had the “potential to halve the incidence of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in developing populations in Asia. Alongside efficacy results for this vaccine in Africa, our study supports WHO’s strong recommendation for expansion of rotavirus vaccine use to the poorest nations in Africa and Asia.”
They are recommending an immediate production for mass use within those two nations, and the study has been published in scientific journal The Lancet.
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