05/01/2023
Rotavirus is the germ behind severe watery diarrhoea and vomiting that commonly affects infants and young children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. The disease is transmitted very effectively in the stool and vomitus of infected people. This is because virus is secreted in high concentration and for upto 3 weeks and a number of people are known to have asymptomatic infections. Although hygiene and clean water help to reduce infections, Rotavirus effectively circulates even in high income settings. In small children the acute illness occurs 1 to 3 days after exposure and usually presents with high fever, followed by vomiting and then by watery and copious diarrhoea. Children can suffer extreme dehydration which is life threatening. Like other febrile childhood viral illnesses, Rotavirus infection can cause convulsions in susceptible children.
Rotavirus vaccine is part of the Extended Immunization Programme in Kenya (KEPI) and is scheduled to be administered orally at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. It has recently been out of stock but is now available. Any child below 1 year who did not receive the vaccine should be taken to the KEPI provider point to be immunised.
Children over 1 year of age will not however be immunised due to safety concerns.
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