Protective effect of WC3 vaccine against rotavirus diarrhea in infants during a predominantly serotype 1 rotavirus season.

We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to study the efficacy of WC3 rotavirus vaccine administered to 104 infants (ages, three to 12 months) before the rotavirus season. Forty-nine infants received vaccine; 55 received placebo. Rotavirus disease during this season was predominantly caused by a serotype 1 strain. In placebo recipients there were 14 cases of rotavirus diarrhea (attack rate, 25%); 11 were moderate to severe (attack rate, 20%). Vaccinees experienced only three cases of rotavirus disease (attack rate, 6.1%), all mild. When all cases (whether associated with rotavirus or not) of clinically significant diarrhea (CSD) were evaluated, WC3 vaccine provided statistically significant (P less than .01) protection against the total number of episodes of CSD and reduced the number of days of CSD-associated diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or illness. Seventy-one percent of the WC3-vaccinated infants had serum antibody responses to the vaccine. The 14 placebo recipients who experienced natural disease predominantly had antibody responses to serotype 1. Sera taken after the rotavirus season revealed a nearly identical rate (40%) of natural rotavirus infection in the vaccinated and placebo groups.