Rotavirus is a virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It can
be a serious condition in young children. Fortunately, there are
rotavirus vaccines that have proven effective at preventing this
infection. One of the first rotavirus vaccines was associated
with an increased risk of intussusception in first few weeks
after vaccine. Intussusception is a condition where the
intestine folds on itself which can cause blockage or damage. It
is one of the more common abdominal emergencies in young
children. This original rotavirus vaccine was removed from use
and newer versions of rotavirus appear to be much safer. The
vaccines are given in either 2 or 3 dose series. Researchers
from the United States wanted to assess any remaining risk of
intussusception with the one of the newer generations of
rotavirus vaccines, the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq).
The study, published in Journal of American Medical Association,
did not find an increased risk of intussusception in infants
receiving the pentavalent rotavirus