Protection from rotavirus reinfection: 2-year prospective study

Article Abstract:

Rotaviruses are responsible for causing severe diarrhea in a very large number of infants and children worldwide. Attempts have been made to develop a vaccine to prevent rotavirus infections. The use of live virus vaccines is based on the assumption that exposure to the live virus will protect against a subsequent infection. However, there are several different types of rotaviruses, called serotypes. Exposure to rotavirus serotype 1 does not necessarily provide protection against an infection with rotavirus serotypes 2, 3 or 4. To determine if exposure to live rotavirus, by a vaccine or from a naturally acquired infection, provides protection against a subsequent infection or reinfection, 163 infants (between 2 months and 12 months) were assessed. Eighty-one of the infants were given an oral rotavirus vaccine and 82 were given a placebo (vaccine without virus). Twenty-one of the infants (15 in the placebo group and 6 in the vaccine group) had suffered a rotavirus infection prior to enrollment in the study. None of the infants who were infected previously developed symptoms of rotavirus reinfection during the two-year study period. However, among the infants without prior illness, rotavirus infection occurred in 57 percent of the vaccinated infants and 69 percent of those who received the placebo. A total of 60 infants developed infections with rotavirus in the first year of the study, and only 4 of these infants had a reinfection. Prior infection with rotavirus provided complete protection from symptoms of reinfection. However, the vaccine did not provide significant protection against infection with rotavirus. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Oral vaccines

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Evaluation of WC3 rotavirus vaccine and correlates of protection in healthy infants

Article Abstract:

Rotaviruses are responsible for large numbers of clinically significant cases of diarrhea world-wide, but especially in developing countries. The development, therefore, of an effective vaccine to prevent rotavirus infection would be of major public health importance. Many human strains and serotypes (combinations of antigens) of rotaviruses have been used to prepare experimental vaccines. Of these, the vaccine prepared from the attenuated bovine strain WC3 (serotype 6) rotavirus was found to be immunogenic (induce immunity) in infants. It also induced both heterotypic and homotypic antibodies in adults. Hence, in preliminary studies, WC3 rotavirus vaccine was shown to be immunogenic, safe and effective. This report describes a recent study, which was conducted with a larger group of healthy infants (206) between 2 and 12 months of age. Half of the infants received a placebo and the other half were immunized with WC3 rotavirus vaccine. Vaccine virus was detected in the stools of only 17 recipients. Diarrhea and associated symptoms occurred equally in the vaccine and placebo groups. A three-fold rise in serum neutralizing antibody to WC3 was detected in 97 percent of the vaccine recipients, but in none of the infants in the placebo group. These results demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of WC3 rotavirus vaccine. Other correlates of immunity should be further studied, including maternal antibodies and antibodies from previous exposures to rotaviruses. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Analysis, Vaccination of infants

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Immune protection of infants against rotavirus gastroenteritis by a serotype 1 reassortant of bovine rotavirus WC3

Article Abstract:

Infantile diarrhea is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in all the countries of the world. Rotavirus gastroenteritis and its associated syndrome are a significant cause of death in developing countries. Attempts to produce an effective vaccine have been especially unsuccessful since the virus is, like the influenza virus, subject to genetic reassortment producing changes in the structure of the antigens and thus inconsistent efficacy of vaccine. The WC3 strain, which is of bovine origin and was developed in the author's laboratory, appears to be safe and to confer immunity. A preliminary trial of a WC3 vaccine involving 104 infants resulted in a significant reduction in both the severity and incidence of disease. Vaccine W179-9, containing a segment 9 of rotavirus W179 coupled with segments of serotype 6 strain WC3 rotavirus, was prepared and evaluated. Seventy-seven infants, 2 to 11 months of age, completed the trial. Vaccine was administered to 38 infants, while 39 received a placebo. Side effects and adverse reactions were minimal or absent. During the rotavirus season, no cases of disease were observed in vaccinees, while eight cases (six caused by type 1 virus and two by type 3 virus) appeared in the placebo group. In addition to the absence of rotaviral disease among the vaccinated infants, the total days of diarrhea, fever and other signs of gastroenteritis were significantly reduced. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Innovations, Synthetic vaccines

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