United States, October 27: According to a report prepared by researchers, when children with rotavirus infection are administered (orally) diarrhea vaccines a remarkable improvement in their health can be seen.
When this was done, lesser hospitalizations by up to 70 percent were reported in some areas of the United States which also prevented unnecessary spending of money.
Merck and Co., a vaccine manufacturer company, conducted a study in which it was found that the rotavirus vaccine had a positive effect on the health of infected children. Consequently, a decline in the emergency room visits by children with rotavirus and a decline in the occurrence of severe diarrhea were seen. In total, the study carried by Merck researchers reviewed the medical records of 61,000 infants.
Merck and Co.’s vaccine called Rotateq and GlaxoSmithKline Plc's vaccine called Rotarix are safe and effective. The World Health Organization is making full endeavor so that both the vaccines are made available in developing countries also.
The rotavirus vaccinations initiated in 2006 and since then rotavirus-related hospitalizations have reduced by 70 percent in North Philadelphia, Irini Daskalaki of Drexel University College of Medicine acknowledged in a meeting of the American Society of Microbiology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Also, a decline by 94 percent was seen in the rotavirus-related hospitalizations of babies falling in the age group of 6 to 11 months, Merck's Christopher Mast said.
In case of infants and young children, severe gastroenteritis accompanied with vomiting and diarrhea is mainly caused by fatal Rotavirus. Before 2006, rotavirus caused 410,000 hospitalizations, out of which nearly 200,000 were emergency hospitalizations and there were 20 to 60 deaths every year in the United States. Worldwide statistics indicate, as of now, 1,600 children under 5 lose their lives to rotavirus per day.
In a news conference, Merck's Christopher Mast stated, “Rotateq provided 100 percent protection against hospital and emergency department visits when administered during routine public health practice."
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