A recent study has confirmed that India’s indigenous oral rotavirus vaccine, Rotavac, has significantly reduced the incidence of rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis among children under India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

About Rotavac Vaccine

• Type: Indigenous oral vaccine against rotavirus gastroenteritis.
• Launch: Introduced in 2016 under India’s Universal Immunisation Programme, provided free to all eligible infants.
• Dosage Schedule: Three oral doses at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age.
• Development: Developed through a public–private partnership involving:
  • Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India
  • Bharat Biotech
  • U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Stanford University and PATH
  • Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

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About Rotavirus

• Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus causing severe diarrhoea and vomiting in infants and young children, often leading to life-threatening dehydration.
  • It causes severe gastroenteritis by damaging intestinal cells in young children.
• Transmission:
  • Fecal–oral route: The virus spreads through contaminated hands, food, water, and surfaces.
  • Common in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene.
• Symptoms
  • Incubation period: 1–3 days.
  • Common symptoms include Severe watery diarrhoea, Vomiting, fever and abdominal pain, Rapid dehydration.
  • Complications: Electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and in severe cases, death.
• Affected Groups:
  • Mostly affects infants and children below 5 years.
  • Can also affect immunocompromised adults and elderly persons.
• Global Burden: Causes ~128,500 deaths annually among under-five children, with India accounting for 20% of global fatalities.

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