Rotavirus vaccines WHO position paper: January 2013 – Recommendations

Abstract

This article presents the World Health Organizations (WHO) evidence and recommendations for the use of rotavirus vaccination from the WHO position paper on rotavirus vaccines - January 2013 recently published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record [1]. This position paper summarizes the WHO position on the inclusion of rotavirus vaccines in all national immunization programmes and recent developments in the field, in particular the potential of rotavirus vaccines to further reduce mortality by employing more flexible immunization schedules. The current document replaces the position paper on the use of rotavirus vaccines published in 2007 [2]. Footnotes to this paper provide a number of core references. In accordance with its mandate to provide guidance to Member States on health policy matters, WHO issues a series of regularly updated position papers on vaccines and combinations of vaccines against diseases that have an international public health impact. These papers are concerned primarily with the use of vaccines in large-scale immunization programmes; they summarize essential background information on diseases and vaccines, and conclude with WHO's current position on the use of vaccines in the global context. This paper reflects the recommendations of WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization. These recommendations were discussed by SAGE at its April 2012 meeting. Evidence presented at the meeting can be accessed at http://www.who.int/immunization/sage/previous/en/index.html.

A global review of national influenza immunization policies: Analysis of the 2014 WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form on immunization

“…As low-resource countries often rely on financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for new vaccine introduction, we also used JRF data for country eligibility to receive such support (Gavi eligible) [16], [17]. To assess new vaccine introductions, we used JRF data indicating the inclusion of the following vaccines in national immunization schedules per WHO recommendations: birth dose hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), human papilloma virus vaccine (HPV), and rotavirus vaccine [18], [19], [20]. To assess the general strength of routine immunization we used JRF data indicating whether countries had achieved Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) goals of maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination (MNTE) (<1 case of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births in every district of a country), and we used the WHO UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage to assess if countries had achieved global goals of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis containing vaccine third dose coverage (DTP3) ⩾95% nationally [21], [22].…”

Incidence of Rotavirus and Circulating Genotypes in Northeast Brazil during 7 Years of National Rotavirus Vaccination

“…Soon after their adoption, national immunisation programs reported significant reductions in diarrhoea-related hospitalisations and ambulatory consultations. In 2012 following pivotal Phase III clinical trials, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended extension of their use to include countries with high diarrhoea burden in Africa and Asia [3]. Vaccine introduction in these continents is rapidly gaining momentum with support from international partners including the Global Alliance for Vaccines Initiative (GAVI).…”

Intestinal Organoids

“…Rotavirus remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality despite the increasing prevalence of oral vaccines, with a pediatric mortality of over 450,000 children under 5 annually 19 . Enteroid culture allows a much closer and more accurate modeling of the infectious process than previously possible by supporting the full viral life cycle 20 .…”