From the Guidelines
The rotavirus vaccine is a live vaccine.
Key Characteristics
- The vaccine is administered orally and contains either a human rotavirus strain or reassortant rotaviruses developed from human and bovine parent rotavirus strains 1.
- The live, oral vaccine is safe and efficacious in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis among infants and children, as demonstrated in several clinical trials 1.
- The vaccine is typically administered in a three-dose series at ages 2,4, and 6 months, with a minimum interval of 3 weeks between doses 1.
- The use of live, oral rotavirus vaccines has been recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis among children 1.
Vaccine Types
- There are different types of rotavirus vaccines, including monovalent and multivalent vaccines, with the latter providing serotype-specific immunity against all common human rotavirus strains 1.
- Examples of licensed rotavirus vaccines include RV1 and RotaTeq, which are both live, oral vaccines 1.
From the Research
Rotavirus Vaccine Type
- The rotavirus vaccine is a live vaccine, as stated in studies 2, 3, 4.
- These studies specifically mention that the Rotarix vaccine is a live oral rotavirus vaccine developed from a single protective human strain following multiple passages in tissue culture to attenuate the strain.
- However, there are also efforts to develop inactivated rotavirus vaccines 5 and non-replicating mRNA vaccines 6 as alternative approaches.
Live Attenuated Rotavirus Vaccines
- Live attenuated rotavirus vaccines, such as Rotarix, have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing severe rotavirus gastroenteritis and hospitalization 2, 3, 4.
- These vaccines are administered orally and have been licensed globally for use in children.
Alternative Vaccine Approaches
- Inactivated rotavirus vaccines are being developed as an alternative to live oral vaccines, particularly for use in challenging populations where live oral vaccines may not be effective 5.
- mRNA vaccines, such as the VP7-mRNA vaccine, are also being developed as a non-replicating alternative to live attenuated vaccines 6.