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Rotarix

Rotavirus vaccine

Versions:

There are two versions of this vaccine:​

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  • One of them comes with a lyophilized (freeze dried) powder and a diluent (liquid to dissolve the powder in). These are mixed together and given in a 1mL dose.

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  • The other version comes as a liquid with all of the ingredients already mixed together. This version is given in a 1.5mL dose.


Both of these versions are given orally (by mouth) and not as an injection.

Ingredients:

Active ingredients:

Live attenuated rotavirus​

Inactive ingredients:
The ingredients are very similar between the two formulations, but for every ingredient it says if it is in just one or both formulations. 
Lyophilized means freeze-dried, and liquid refers to the version with the ingredients already mixed together

Growth agents: ingredients that help the active ingredients grow in order to make the vaccine

Carbohydrates: normally used as stabilizers in vaccines

Other Stabilizers:

Relevant Terms

  • Attenuated: The pathogen is weakened but not completely inactivated. Attenuated pathogens are too weak to cause disease in almost all people. 

  • Carbohydrates: another name for sugars

  • Carcinogen: a substance that causes cancer

Relevant terms

Sources

Last updated: Mar. 30, 2024

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