Vaccine Prevents Acute Gastroenteritis Deaths in Cases Caused by Rotavirus

A recent study reveals that administering at least one dose of a rotavirus vaccine significantly reduces the risk of death in children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis caused by the virus. However, the vaccine's impact on mortality when rotavirus is not the primary cause remains less clear. Among children aged 3 months to 4 years, receiving a rotavirus vaccine dose was 75.8% effective in preventing death from rotavirus-positive acute gastroenteritis, but only 20.8% effective in preventing all-cause acute gastroenteritis-related fatalities.

Children who did not receive the rotavirus vaccine were nearly 14 times more likely to die from acute gastroenteritis compared to those who did receive the vaccine. The study, led by Mary Moran, PhD, MPH, of the CDC's Division of Viral Diseases, supports the importance of timely rotavirus vaccination in all settings, particularly for younger infants who are more vulnerable to the disease.

Despite the availability of the rotavirus vaccine in over 140 countries, the virus still accounts for around 25% of diarrhea-related deaths in children under 5 years old globally. The study's findings provide strong evidence that the vaccine substantially lowers rotavirus-associated diarrhea mortality in high-burden areas, but further research is needed to understand how protection against mortality may wane over time, especially in low-income and middle-income countries.