Medication Summary

The goals of pharmacotherapy are to reduce morbidity, to prevent complications, and to possibly
decrease the duration of illness.
In February 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an oral
vaccine for rotavirus (RotaTeq). RotaTeq is administered in a 3-dose series starting between age
6-12 weeks and completed before age 32 weeks. It protects against types G1, G2, G3 and G4.
In April 2008, the FDA approved Rotarix, another oral vaccine, for prevention of rotavirus
gastroenteritis. The current recommendation is to administer 2 separate doses of Rotarix to
patients aged 6-24 weeks. Rotarix was efficacious in a large study, which reported that Rotarix
protected patients with severe rotavirus gastroenteritis and decreased the rate of severe diarrhea
or gastroenteritis of any cause.[19] In March 2010, Rotarix was temporarily taken off the market
due to concerns with contamination with porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1), but in May 2010 the
FDA cleared use of the product again. Rotarix should not be given to children with latex allergy.
It protects against type G1, G3, G4, and G 9. Rotashield, an earlier vaccine, was withdrawn from
the market due to concerns with intussusception.
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