Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Rotavirus Vaccination
Pronounced "row-tuh-virus"
Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea) among children worldwide. The rotavirus vaccine currently licensed in the United States, Rotateq, has shown to be quite effective against rotavirus disease. This vaccine will prevent 74 percent of all rotavirus cases, about 98 percent of severe cases, and about 96 percent of hospitalizations due to rotavirus.
What You Should Know:
For Health Professionals:
For the Media:
What You Should Know
- CDC's official Rotavirus Disease website
Clinical features, global and national surveillance - Questions and Answers about the Disease
- Pictures of Rotavirus
Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic.
- Does my child need this vaccine?
(May 2009)
There are two brands of rotavirus vaccine. A baby should get either 2 or 3 doses, depending on which brand is used.
The doses are recommended at these ages:
- First Dose: 2 months of age
- Second Dose: 4 months of age
- Third Dose: 6 months of age (if needed)
The first dose may be given as early as 6 weeks of age, and should be given by age 14 weeks 6 days. The last dose should be given by 8 months of age.
Rotavirus vaccine may be given at the same time as other childhood vaccines.
Babies who get the vaccine may be fed normally afterward.
For additional details, consult the Rotavirus Vaccine Information Statement
(57KB / 2 pages) as well as the Child Immunization Schedule. - Side Effects
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Questions and Answers about the RotaTeq® Vaccine
As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.
- Is the new rotavirus
vaccine safe?
FAQs on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website - CDC's Vaccine Safety website
- Lessening the Pain of Vaccines
Techniques worth trying
For Health Professionals
Clinical Information on Rotavirus
- Technical information
Clinical Features, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, etc. - Ask the Experts
CDC experts answer your clinical questions via Immunization Action Coalition website - NIPINFO answers your questions about Rotashield®
- Immunization of Healthcare Workers
- Proper handling of Rotavirus Vaccine
- Kawasaki Disease and RotaTeq® Vaccine (June 2007)
Vaccine Recommendations
- ACIP recommendations (Updated Feb 2009)
In April 2008, a live, oral, rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix® [RV1]) was licensed as a 2-dose series for use among U.S. infants, and in June 2008, ACIP updated its rotavirus vaccine recommendations to include use of RV1. - Multi-vaccine VIS updated with new information about rotavirus vaccines
(Sep 2008) - Standing Orders (Reviewed Feb 2009)
- Contraindications (Updated Feb 2009)
- ACIP - Vaccines for Children (VFC) Resolution (Updated July 2008)
- Intussusception and Rotashield® Vaccine
The ACIP voted October 1999 to no longer recommend use of RotaShield® vaccine for infants because of an association between the vaccine and intussusception.
References and Resources
- Pink Book's chapter on Rotavirus
(439KB / 12 pages) (Updated June 2009)
Epidemiology & Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Surveillance manual's chapter on Rotavirus (Updated August 2008)
Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook - Infection control guidelines
- National Rotavirus Surveillance
- World Health Organization's rotavirus page
- PATH's Rotavirus Vaccine Program
- CDC Foundation
- PAHO Rotavirus Surveillance (Spanish)
Provider Education
- 2009 Clinical education slide set
[259KB] (Updated May 2009)
from the 11th edition "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases" course - Podcasts
Materials for Patients
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Rotavirus: Questions and Answers [50KB, 3 pages]
Ready-to-print versions of one of the CDC-reviewed Q&A material located on IAC's Vaccine Information website (www.vaccineinformation.org) (Updated Jan 2009) - Las vacunas y las enfermedades que previenen (Spanish materials)
For the Media
- Reduction in Rotavirus After
Vaccine Introduction--United States, 2000-2009
(Oct 2009) - Kawasaki Disease and RotaTeq® Vaccine (June 2007)
- FDA's public health notification: Information on RotaTeq & Intussusception
(Feb 2007) - Press Release: CDC’s Advisory Committee Recommends New Vaccine to Prevent Rotavirus (Feb 2006)
- Newsletter:
Rotavirus Update
NOTE: The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) does not endorse or promote newsletters from sources outside the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These are simply listed for your convenience.
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Content last reviewed on May 14, 2007
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases