Rotavirus Vaccine Information Sheet
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2VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT
Rotavirus Vaccine
Many Vaccine Information Statements are
available in Spanish and other languages.
See
What You Need to Know
Hojas de información sobre vacunas están
disponibles en español y en muchos otros
idiomas. Visite
Another virus called porcine circovirus (or parts of
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Why get vaccinated?
it) can be found in both rotavirus vaccines. This is
not a virus that infects people, and there is no known
Rotavirus is a virus that causes diarrhea, mostly in babies
safety risk. For more information, see
and young children. The diarrhea can be severe, and lead
BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/
to dehydration. Vomiting and fever are also common in
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babies with rotavirus.
Before rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus disease was a
Some babies should not get
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common and serious health problem for children in the
this vaccine
United States. Almost all children in the U.S. had at least
one rotavirus infection before their 5
birthday.
• A baby who has had a severe (life-threatening) allergic
th
reaction to a dose of rotavirus vaccine should not get
Every year:
another dose.
• more than 400,000 young children had to see a doctor
for illness caused by rotavirus,
A baby who has a severe (life threatening) allergy to
any component of rotavirus vaccine should not get the
• more than 200,000 had to go to the emergency room,
vaccine.
• 55,000 to 70,000 had to be hospitalized, and
Tell your doctor if your baby has any severe allergies
• 20 to 60 died.
that you know of, including a severe allergy to latex.
Rotavirus vaccine has been used since 2006 in the
• Babies with “severe combined immunodeficiency”
United States. Because children are protected by the
(SCID) should not get rotavirus vaccine.
vaccine, hospitalizations, and emergency visits for
• Babies who have had a type of bowel blockage called
rotavirus have dropped dramatically.
“intussusception” should not get rotavirus vaccine.
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Rotavirus vaccine
• Babies who are mildly ill can probably get the vaccine
today. Babies who are moderately or severely ill
Two brands of rotavirus vaccine are available. Your baby
should probably wait until they recover. This includes
will get either 2 or 3 doses, depending on which vaccine
babies with moderate or severe diarrhea or vomiting.
is used.
• Check with your doctor if your baby’s immune system
Doses of rotavirus vaccine are recommended at these
is weakened because of:
ages:
- HIV/AIDS, or any other disease that affects the
- First Dose:
2 months of age
immune system
- Second Dose: 4 months of age
- treatment with drugs such as long-term steroids
- Third Dose:
6 months of age (if needed)
- cancer, or cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs
Rotavirus vaccine is a liquid that is swallowed, not a
shot.
Rotavirus vaccine may safely be given at the same time
as other vaccines.
Rotavirus vaccine is very good at preventing diarrhea
and vomiting caused by rotavirus. Almost all babies
who get rotavirus vaccine will be protected from severe
rotavirus diarrhea. And most of these babies will not get
rotavirus diarrhea at all. The vaccine will not prevent
diarrhea or vomiting caused by other germs.
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