Why in the news?

  • A recent study assessing India’s indigenous rotavirus vaccine named  Rotavac revealed significant declines in rotavirus-related gastroenteritis across multiple sites nationwide.

Rotavirus

  • What is it?
    • Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, particularly in young children. 
    • It’s the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children worldwide.
    • It is one among the top causes of Under-five mortality.
  • Causes: Rotavirus is a highly contagious spread through contact with infected stool (poop) or vomit. It can live on surfaces for days and easily spread on unwashed hands.
  • Symptoms: Severe watery diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever, Belly pain and Dehydration (loss of fluids).
  • Complications: Dehydration is the most serious complication of rotavirus infection, especially in young children.
  • Treatment: There’s no specific medicine to treat rotavirus itself. Treatment focuses on preventing dehydration and managing symptoms.
  • Vaccine Availability: Rotavac and Rotasil are two vaccines available against Rotavirus- both indigenously developed.

Rotavac Vaccine

  • Launch: Licensed for use in 2014; introduced into India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in 2016.
  • Developer: Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India; National Institute of Immunology (NII); CDC (USA); PATH, and WHO.
  • Type: Live-attenuated, oral vaccine.
  • Purpose: Designed to prevent severe diarrhoea caused by rotavirus, one of the leading causes of mortality among children under five.

 

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