Normally the usual period of time between exposure and illness which we call the incubation period is about 2-5 days. But the period of time the most children have symptoms is between 3 and 5 days. The RotaShield vaccine is the vaccine which was developed by Wyeth-Lederle and this is the vaccine which was used to prevent rotaviral infections. The RotaShield, which is the name of the vaccine, doesn't completely eliminate rotaviral infection, but it does decrease significantly the need for hospitalization and severe diarrhea in over 80 percent of those children who were given 3 doses of the immunization. Recently, the Center for Disease Control found that there was an increased incidence of a particular problem called intussusception in young children who had received the RotaShield vaccine.
Intussusception is the telescoping of the bowel into itself.
When this happens, there is a compromise of the vasculature of the bowel. When this happens in the patient, the child will have persistent vomiting, bloody bowel movements, abdominal distention, and severe colicky abdominal pain. Because of this finding in a larger than expected number of young children, the CDC in Atlanta has made a recommendation that the RotaShield vaccine be withheld temporarily from the market. And they are recommending that physicians not give the RotaShield vaccine until further investigation and further studies are performed. It is expected, however, that the RotaShield vaccine will again become available to the public later this year.