The Effect Of Rotavirus Vaccine On Diarrhoea Mortality

 

 

 

The effect of rotavirus vaccine on diarrhoea mortality
Munos MK, Fischer Walker CL, Black RE

 

 
CRD summary
This review concluded that rotavirus vaccines were efficaciousagainst rotavirus morbidity and mortality and would have the potential to reduce child mortality in low-income countries if implemented appropriately. These conclusions reflected the available evidence,but should be interpreted with some caution given the small number and quality of included studies as well as limitations in reporting of the review process.

 

Authors' objectives SearchingTo determine the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines on diarrhoea mortality and morbidity in children under five years old. PubMed, the Cochrane Library and the World Health Organisation regionaldatabases were searched without language restriction. Search terms were reported, but search dates were not. Experts in the field were also contacted in order to identify additional studies.

Studyselection
Phase III efficacy trials and post-market efficacy or effectiveness studies of currently marketed rotavirus vaccines for children (up to five years old) were eligible for inclusion. Eligiblestudies had to report at least one of the following outcomes: all-cause mortality; diarrhoea-specific or retrovirus-specific mortality and/or hospitalisations; or incidence or risk of rotavirus ordiarrhoeal disease. Pre-clinical and phase I and II trials were excluded, as were trials of vaccines that were not marketed as of January 2009. The included studies evaluated two vaccines (a pentavalenthuman-bovine reassortant rotavirus and a monovalent attenuated human rotavirus vaccine). Comparators included placebo, non-hospitalised control groups, neighbourhood or hospitalised control groups (withillness not related to diarrhoea or a vaccine). Included settings were clinic, hospital or community based. Participant ages ranged from six weeks to 59 months. Included studies were conducted in...