Heatproof Rotavirus Vaccine a ‘Game Changer’ for Children in Africa according to : Newsweek

The vaccine protects against rotavirus, an infection common in infants and young children that results in severe watery diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting, fever and stomach pains. "We believe that the new vaccine can bring protection against rotavirus to the children who need it most," said Dr. Micaela Serafini, MSF medical director. Diarrhea is the second-biggest killer of child deaths worldwide, accounting for in one in every nine deaths of children under five years old. A new vaccine which does not denature in heat and costs less than $2.50 is a "game changer" for African children affected by a virus that causes more than 1,000 deaths per day, according to Médecins Sans Frontères (MSF). HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/GettyRotavirus infections kill an estimated 1,300 children each day, with most of the victims in sub-Saharan Africa.




Secondary end points included analyses of Vaccine efficacy against rotavirus gastroenteritis of any severity, against very severe rotavirus gastroenteritis, and against gastroenteritis of any cause. All adverse events and serious adverse events were assessed on the basis of facility- and home-based surveillance. As part of an effort to identify rotavirus vaccines for use in resource-constrained settings, we assessed the efficacy and safety of BRV-PV against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis among healthy infants in Niger. Other secondary end points were the incidence of immediate adverse events within 30 minutes after the administration of any dose, adverse events that occurred after the first dose until 28 days after the third dose, and serious adverse events, including intussusception, hospitalization, and death. Vaccine The trial vaccine, the calcium carbonate buffer, and the placebo were developed and manufactured by Serum Institute of India, which donated the vaccine, buffer, and placebo.

New Rotavirus Vaccine is "First of its Kind": Affordable & Heat-Stable

In that study, researchers stressed the need to "accelerate the introduction of vaccines" in those areas where rotavirus burden is highest. ARTICLERotavirus, a contagious virus that can cause gastroenteritis, most commonly plagues infants and children. Researchers from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health stress that in these areas, where healthcare access is low and rotavirus prevalence is high, not only is a safe and effective vaccine needed, but it also needs to be affordable.Two rotavirus vaccines are currently available in the United States: RotaTeq (RV5) and Rotarix (RV1). The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.Rotavirus can be easily transmitted through contact with contaminated hands, toys, food, or water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers stress that this makes vaccination against the rotavirus even more imperative to preventing diarrhea-associated complications, or even death.A past study reported that in 2008, rotavirus was responsible for a staggering 453,000 deaths, with most of these deaths occurring in developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.


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