Rotavirus vaccines: an update.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhea disease in infants and young children worldwide and has a major global impact on childhood morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is the only control measure likely to have a significant impact on the incidence of severe dehydrating rotavirus disease.

RECENT FINDINGS: Rotavirus disease prevention efforts suffered a great setback in 1999 with the withdrawal of the RRV-TV vaccine less than a year after its introduction. Several new rotavirus vaccine candidates have now been developed and are undergoing clinical trials.

SUMMARY: New safe and effective rotavirus vaccines offer the best hope of reducing the toll of acute rotavirus gastroenteritis in both developed and developing countries.