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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo reduce the spread of rotavirus, wash your hands thoroughly and often — especially after you use the toilet, change your child's diaper or help your child use the toilet. But even strict hand washing doesn't offer any guarantees.
Currently, there are two vaccines offered against rotavirus:
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RotaTeq. This vaccine is given by mouth in three doses, often at ages 2 months, 4 months and 6 months. The vaccine is not approved for use in older children or adults.
Although a few cases of intussusception — a rare but life-threatening form of intestinal blockage — were reported after vaccination with RotaTeq, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the number of cases in vaccinated children was similar to the number of cases in unvaccinated children and concluded that the vaccine didn't increase a child's risk of intussusception. A similar anti-rotavirus vaccine (RotaShield) was pulled from the market in 1999 because of an association with intussusception.
If after vaccination, your child has stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in his or her stool, or a change in bowel movements, contact your doctor immediately.
- Rotarix. This vaccine is a liquid given in two doses to infants at ages 2 months and 4 months. Clinical trials of the vaccine detected no increased risk of intussusception.
- About rotavirus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/rotavirus/about_rotavirus.htm. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Dormitzer PR. Rotaviruses. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 76th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00150-8--s0025&uniq=208765716&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=1022307630#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00150-8%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Update on recommendations for the use of rotavirus vaccines. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm212140.htm. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Matson DO. Rotavirus vaccines. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis among infants and children: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2009;58:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5802.pdf. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- Diarrhea. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea/#children. Accessed July 8, 2010.
- What to do in a medical emergency: Fever. American College of Emergency Physicians. http://www.emergencycareforyou.org/EmergencyManual/WhatToDoInMedicalEmergency/Default.aspx?id=242&terms=fever. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 19, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 26, 2010.
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