Rotavirus The rotavirus vaccine was released for use in 1998 and teken off the market in the United States later the same year because of an unusual but serious complication called intussusception.
Intussusception is a telescoping of the bowel that often needs to be fixed with surgery.
Children who had rotavirus immunizations and had no problems in the weeks following immunization, are not at increased risk for intussuseption later in life. The following information was prepared as rotavirus immunization information and is left posted for historical information only. The rotavirus is the most common cause of infant and toddler diarrhea in the United States. In the United States, usually the illness is a nuisance often requiring extra holding and comfort, diet changes, and lots of diaper detail for a week or two. However, every year several infants need to be hospitalized in our practice because of rotavirus symptoms.