Rotavirus is responsible for causing the majority of infectious diarrhea in children. Virtually all children have been infected by this virus by age five years. Each year in the United States, rotavirus causes 200,000 emergency room visits and more than 50,000 hospitalizations in children. Nevertheless, deaths from rotavirus infection are extremely rare in the United States.

The low rate of death is mainly attributable to the availability of emergency medical services in this country. The dehydration caused by rotavirus is easily reversible, so as long as caregivers bring their children to a medical facility in a timely manner, serious problems resulting from diarrhea is almost always averted.

On the other hand, this vaccine can potentially save millions of lives around the world. Medical care is a luxury in many parts of the world, and more than half a million babies die from rotavirus infection each year. A global immunization effort is under way to distribute this vaccine so it can be widely available in developing countries.