Rotavirus vaccination: benefits and side effects
Rotaviruses are considered the most common cause of diarrhea or vomiting. The rotavirus vaccination can successfully protect your child from these diseases. Find answers to the ten most frequently asked questions about rotavirus vaccination here.
What are rotaviruses?
Rotaviruses can generally occur in both humans and animals. Rotavirus is considered the most common pathogen forviral diarrhoeaand virus-related vomiting. The main danger of these diseases, which are caused by rotavirus, is the significant loss of fluid that threatens as a result of diarrhea and vomiting. Diseases caused by rotavirus are notifiable in this country by the attending physician and occur most frequently between the months of February and April.
Who can contract rotavirus?
In principle, anyone can become infected with the rotavirus. However, infection is most common in babies and toddlers between 6 and 24 months. The fact that they are more at risk than other groups of people is due to their immune system, which is not yet fully developed. Accordingly, according to the Robert Koch Institute, about 90 percent of all children up to the age of three have already been infected with the rotavirus. Up to the age of five, it is usually all children.
Is the rotavirus vaccination recommended?
Since August 2013, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) has recommended vaccination against rotaviruses for all infants under six months of age. Depending on the type of vaccine, rotavirus vaccination is given two or three times at intervals of four weeks between doses. In this way, the vaccination is completed by the 24th or 26th week of life. It is advisable to integrate these into the regular routine examinations (U-examinations). It is best to consult with the treating pediatrician in this regard.
How does the rotavirus vaccine work?
Since 2006, there have been a total of two approved rotavirus vaccines that are administered in the form of an oral vaccine and can prevent a severe course of the disease as a result of rotavirus infection. In Germany, these vaccines are only approved for children up to the age of 26 weeks. Both rotavirus vaccines are so-called live vaccines, which contain a small amount of attenuated, live viruses. After vaccination, the immune system produces antibodies against rotavirus. With complete immunization, vaccination protection lasts two to three years. By a rotavirus vaccination, which takes place in infancy, the critical phase, which lasts from the 6th to the 24th month of life, can be covered in children. For whom is the rotavirus vaccination useful?
In Germany, the rotavirus vaccination is only approved for children up to the age of 26 weeks. For this reason, only infants can be vaccinated against it in this country. When deciding whether to vaccinate your child against rotavirus, your child’s individual social and health situation should be weighed up beforehand. A vaccination is particularly useful if your child is at increased risk of infection, for example because it has increased contact with other infants or toddlers through the nursery. Get advice from a pediatrician.
Who should not be vaccinated against rotavirus under any circumstances?
There are groups of people who should not undergo a rotavirus vaccination under any circumstances. Rotavirus vaccination is not recommended in the following situations:
- in case of hypersensitivity to the vaccine components
- in the case of an existing or suspected immune disease
- with an existing intestinal invagination
- in the event of a disease requiring treatment
How effective is the rotavirus vaccine?
In approval studies, a disease caused by rotavirus was successfully averted in 96-98 percent of all cases. Note, however, that the rotavirus vaccine does not prevent these diarrhoeal diseases caused by other factors, such as E-coli bacteria or salmonella. Learn more about other causes that can cause diarrhea here.
What are possible side effects of the rotavirus vaccination?
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the risk posed by the rotavirus vaccine is rather low in relation to its benefits. Interactions with other vaccines are not yet known, which is why the vaccine can be administered at the same time as other vaccines. In very rare cases, however, it can still lead to undesirable side effects. And since the two approved vaccines are live vaccines, the symptom that is supposed to be prevented can also occur in an attenuated form. The most common side effects of rotavirus vaccination are:
- Diarrhoea
- Fever
- Vomit
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Stomach ache
- Flatulence
Who pays for the rotavirus vaccination?
As a rule, health insurance companies cover the costs of vaccinations recommended by the STIKO. However, since the rotavirus vaccination is currently not one of the standard vaccinations, not every health insurance company covers the costs of the rotavirus vaccination. Therefore, you should check yourself in advance whether your responsible health insurance pays for a vaccination.