ShareRotavirus is the leading cause of death due to diarrhea in young children worldwide
Rotavirus disease
Diarrhea is a leading killer of young children worldwide, and rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea. Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis—an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. If left untreated, it can lead to severe dehydration and death. Nearly every child is at risk of infection, regardless of where he/she lives, his/her hygiene practices, or access to safe drinking water or sanitation. Globally, rotavirus is responsible for more than 450,000 deaths each year in children younger than five years of age—more than 1,200 each day—and is responsible for millions of hospitalizations and clinic visits each year. While rotavirus deaths and hospitalizations vary by region and country, the vast majority (95 percent) of rotavirus deaths in young children are found in GAVI-eligible, low-income countries in Africa and Asia. Learn more
Two safe and effective rotavirus vaccines are saving lives today
Rotavirus vaccines
Rotavirus vaccines offer children the best protection available against severe rotavirus disease and the deadly dehydrating diarrhea that it causes. There are two safe and effective orally administered rotavirus vaccines available today: Rotarix®, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, and RotaTeq®, manufactured by Merck & Co. Inc. The WHO recommends that rotavirus vaccines be introduced into every country’s national immunization program, particularly in countries where diarrheal disease is a major health problem. As of April 27, 2013, 45 countries—mostly middle-and high-income countries—have introduced rotavirus vaccines in their national immunization programs. Rotavirus vaccines are saving lives and improving health in countries where children have access to them. Countries that have introduced rotavirus vaccines have seen rapid and remarkable reductions of severe and fatal diarrhea in young children. In GAVI-eligible countries, where 95 percent of deaths due to rotavirus occur, more than 2.4 million child deaths can be prevented by 2030 by accelerating access to lifesaving rotavirus vaccines. Learn more