Association Between Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine and Severe Rotavirus Diarrhea Among Children in Nicaragua

Abstract

Rotavirus is the most common cause globally of severe diarrhea in children younger than 5 years, accounting for an estimated 2.4 million hospital admissions and 610 000 deaths each year.^1,2 Most (>85%) rotavirus deaths occur in developing countries, and introduction of vaccines in these regions has been prioritized by international agencies such as the World Health Organization.³ In 2006, clinical trials of 2 new live, oral attenuated rotavirus vaccines—RotaTeq (Merck Vaccines, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey) and Rotarix (GlaxoSmith Kline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium)—demonstrated high efficacy (85%-98%) against severe rotavirus disease.^4,5 These trials were predominantly conducted in middle- and high-income countries in the Americas and Europe, and several countries in these regions have already adopted rotavirus vaccines for routine childhood immunization.^6,7