New vaccine for diarrhoea causing virus effective

Two new vaccines have been shown effective against rotavirus, which is responsible for a half-million infant deaths in poor countries each year, research studies said.

Two new vaccines have been shown effective against rotavirus, which is responsible for a half-million infant deaths in poor countries each year, research studies said.

According to the studies published on Saturday, the vaccines showed “an impressive efficacy profile” in tests against rotavirus, which causes about two million hospital visits for viral diarrhoea and vomiting around the world each year, the New England Journal of Medicine reported.

In the US alone, the virus hits 2.7 million children under five each year, 70,000 of which end up hospitalised. The studies involved clinical field trials of Rotateq, developed by US pharmaceutical firm Merck, and Rotarix, created by Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline.

Both are designed to be administered to infants at the same time they are being immunized for diptheria, pertussis and tetanus.

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