Researchers in the African country of Niger have introduced a new vaccine that protects against the diarrheal disease called rotavirus. A scientific test has shown that the new vaccine is effective, safe and easy to use. Experts believe it will be more widely used than the two rotavirus vaccines now given to children. The new vaccine is important because rotavirus is a serious illness that can lead to death. Rotavirus causes a severe infection of the gastro-intestinal tract. It kills more than 215,000 children each year -- about 600 a day. Two vaccines against rotavirus are already available. However, they are costly and difficult to use. They must also be kept cold. In many African countries where people suffer from rotavirus, refrigeration and electricity are unreliable. As a result, the existing rotavirus vaccines are not widely used. Researchers have been working on a new vaccine for rotavirus called BRV-PV. They recently tested the vaccine with young children in Niger. Researchers gave 1,780 babies the BRV-PV vaccine. Only 31 cases of rotavirus developed in those babies. In contrast, 87 cases of rotavirus developed among the babies who received a treatment but did not get the real medicine. In other words, those babies were given a placebo. The researchers say the clinical trial shows that BRV-PV was nearly 67 percent effective. The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
