Candidate rotavirus vaccine (rhesus rotavirus strain) in children: an evaluation.

Fifty children, 3 months to 12 years of age, were given an experimental, orally administered, live attenuated rotavirus vaccine. Overall evidence of vaccine effectiveness as judged by vaccine virus shedding or a serologic response was seen in 82% of vaccinees. No clinical illness was seen in the rotavirus vaccinees when compared with 40 concurrently studied control children. No transmission to control children was observed even with close daily contact in a day-care setting. Young infants, generally less than 1 year of age, who had not previously experienced wild-type rotavirus infection shed significantly more vaccine virus. Limitation of virus shedding in those already exposed may be related to a prompt copro-IgA response which was significantly elevated by three days after vaccination. In summary, the development of this rotavirus vaccine, rhesus rotavirus-MMU-18006, is a promising step in the development of immunoprophylaxis against this major enteric pathogen.