Abstract

ARGUEDAS-ARGUEDAS, Olga. Rotavirus vaccines. Acta pediátr. costarric [online]. 2008, vol.20, n.2, pp.89-91. ISSN 1409-0090.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in Costa Rican children and worldwide, also is the first cause of diarrhea deaths in children in developing countries. Currently, two live oral rotavirus vaccines are available in Costa Rica, they have been used in many countries, in some of them have been included in the national immunization programs. One of these vaccines is derived from an attenuated human strain of rotavirus, is administered in a 2 doses schedule and the other combines five bovine-human reassortant strains and is administered in an schedule of 3 doses. Both vaccines should be given by the oral route. Each vaccine has proven highly effective in preventing severe rotavirus diarrhea in children and safe from the possible complication of intussusception. In Costa Rica, there are currently efforts ongoing to include these new vaccines in the National Immunization Schedule.

Keywords : vaccination; immunizations; rotavirus; children; diarrhea; Rotarix; RotaTeq.

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