1. Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhea in children under 5 years old, causing over 100 million cases of gastroenteritis annually and hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide.
2. Rotavirus infects the lining of the intestines, causing severe diarrhea. Nearly all children have been infected by rotavirus by age 5.
3. While improvements in hygiene have not reduced rotavirus transmission, vaccines have greatly decreased the threat. Two oral rotavirus vaccines, RotaTeq and Rotarix, have been implemented to safely control rotavirus infections.