The second-leading global cause of death for children under five is diarrhea-related disease. In such cases, children lose such large quantities of salt and water that their bodies cannot cope with the losses, resulting in death.
These diseases are often extremely infectious because the pathogens, bacteria and viruses, are transmitted through human waste. In countries where sanitation is poor, these viruses can then enter the water supply amd affect entire villages.
The leading cause of diarrhea -related diseases is rotavirus. The disease has a rapid onset and is soon fatal if left untreated. As of 2006, vaccines exist which have proven to be safe and effective in combating the disease.
Recently a group of researchers at the Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health called for action to have the vaccination implemented in Asia, where thousands of children are killed by rotavirus each year. Its implementation has the potential to save many lives.
However as the researchers' analysis shows, many problems exist in the implementation of this vaccination in Asia. The first problem is the cost of the vaccine. Routine vaccinations are prohibitively expensive.
There is some controversy over this issue because some health officials do not believe that rotavirus is a leading cause of diarrhea-related death. In more developed countries, rotavirus mortality is rare and many doctors do not consider vaccination necessary.
The Hopkins experts point out that, in less developed countries, rotavirus has a tremendous impact and is often fatal, so a vaccination program is warranted.
Even if a vaccination program were implemented in Asia, poor nutrition and differences in geography can decrease the effectiveness of the vaccination. These problems are considerably more difficult to overcome.
The group concluded that the potential public health benefits outweigh other concerns. More investigation is needed, but so far, the vaccination is a good start.
