Rotavirus Vax question

[nathansmom]

Does this shed? I think my kids are infected probably from a friend who gave this to her kid. I thought there were many different strains so I'm sure the vax doesn't cover all of them, am I correct in this thinking?

[Gitti]

Yes you are right. So if one of your kids touched the changing table where the vaccinated child was changed, chances are good your child was infected and passed it on to the siblings.

[amnesiac]

It is live & it does shed in stool for a good 2 weeks post vax.

[nicolebeth]

Yes; we believe we caught rotavirus from my vaccinated niece, who'd had the vaccine within approx. 2 weeks of our seeing her for the first time.

So annoying--I hate stomach ailments of any kind! I know this has been said many times before: what's very frustrating to me is that rotavirus is going to be perpetuating itself via shedding, and leading to more vaccination (i.e., more "need" for vaccination).

[amnesiac]

It's not really going to create a greater "need" than already exists. The whole reason they push it now is that it is so common, nearly everyone is infected by the time they're 5 years old.

[nathansmom]

I knew I was right. My friend keeps saying her ped said that the vax can't shed.

I don't think I explained my other question well but is there more then one strain of rotavirus? And I am right is saying (if there are more then one strain) that the vax doesn't protect against all the strains?

[amnesiac]

It says it sheds right on the insert. And if you read the marketing & CDC info, it's not really pushed as preventing rotavirus completely so much as it is preventing hospitalization from rotavirus.

http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_...rotateq_pi.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwr...cid=rr5512a1_e
http://www.rotateq.com/

[nathansmom]

Thank you!

[lenore80]

Originally Posted by nathansmom

Does this shed? I think my kids are infected probably from a friend who gave this to her kid. I thought there were many different strains so I'm sure the vax doesn't cover all of them, am I correct in this thinking?

It depends. If its the first dose, it can be shed, and people are supposed to wash their hands after every dipe change.

If it was the second does there is a >1 % of it shedding.

hth