• 1 month ago

Rotavirus Vaccine in Children: Duration and Importance of Protection

What Is Rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a viral infection that commonly affects babies and young children, especially between 6 months and 2 years. It causes:

  • Sudden onset of watery diarrhea
  • Severe vomiting
  • High fever
  • Rapid fluid loss (dehydration)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rotavirus is a major cause of hospitalizations and deaths in children under age five worldwide.

How Is Rotavirus Spread?

  • Transmitted via the fecal-oral route
  • Can spread through hands, toys, pacifiers, and contaminated surfaces
  • Highly contagious—a tiny amount of virus is enough to infect

What Is the Rotavirus Vaccine and Why Is It Important?

The rotavirus vaccine is a live attenuated oral vaccine that helps the immune system build protection against the virus. It’s one of the few vaccines that prevents severe diarrhea in infants.

Benefits of the Vaccine:

  • Provides 85–98% protection against severe diarrhea
  • Greatly reduces hospitalizations and dehydration risk
  • Helps reduce spread in the community (herd immunity)

The vaccine does not completely prevent infection, but it dramatically reduces the severity of illness.

When and How Is the Rotavirus Vaccine Given?

There are two main types of rotavirus vaccines:

Vaccine

Doses

Starting Age

Last Dose Deadline

Rotarix

2 doses

As early as 6 weeks

Before 24 weeks of age

RotaTeq

3 doses

As early as 6 weeks

Before 32 weeks of age
  • The vaccine is given orally as drops
  • It’s needle-free and generally well-tolerated by babies

Sticking to the age window is critical for safety and effectiveness.

How Long Does the Rotavirus Vaccine Protect?

  • Protection is strongest during the first 2 years of life
  • Especially effective in preventing severe illness between 12–24 months
  • Immunity may decline with age, but early protection is crucial

Even if a vaccinated child gets infected, symptoms are usually mild and do not require hospitalization.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Most are mild and temporary:

  • Mild diarrhea
  • Fussiness
  • Vomiting
  • Occasionally, low-grade fever

Rare but serious risk:

  • Intussusception (intestinal blockage): very rare, mostly within a week after the first dose
  • Symptoms: severe abdominal pain, pulling legs to chest, blood in stool, vomiting

Seek immediate medical attention if these signs appear. However, the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.

Is the Rotavirus Vaccine Mandatory?

  • In some countries it is part of the national immunization program
  • In Türkiye, it’s not yet mandatory but strongly recommended by the Turkish Pediatric Association and WHO
  • Available in private clinics and pharmacies
  • Some private health insurance plans or local municipalities may cover it