Routine rotavirus vaccine halves severe diarrhoea cases in Kerala children: JMMCRI Study

A set of new studies from Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute (JMMCRI), Thrissur, brings reassuring news for parents: a routine vaccine is sharply reducing serious diarrhoea in young children, while doctors are now treating a dangerous intestinal condition called Intussusception without surgery in most cases.

Researchers at JMMCRI, in collaboration with Christian Medical College Vellore and government medical colleges in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, studied how well the Indian-made rotavirus vaccine ROTASIIL has been working since its introduction into Kerala’s immunisation programme in 2019. They analysed cases of children under five hospitalised with diarrhoea between November 2020 and December 2023.

The results were encouraging. The number of children hospitalised with moderate to severe rotavirus diarrhoea in Kerala dropped from 36 per cent to 18 per cent after the introduction of the vaccine. The research team, led by Dr Aparna Namboodiripad, says the findings clearly show that the vaccine is protecting children and reducing the need for hospital care.
The team, which included Dr Aparna Namboodiripad, Dr Rose Xavier and Dr Gibi George, also found that a strain called G3P[8] is now the most common type of rotavirus in Kerala. Monitoring such strains helps experts ensure that the vaccine continues to remain effective. The studies have been published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics.

In another related study published in the same journal, the researchers found that undernourished children are at greater risk of diarrhoea. Children who are underweight for their height tend to fall more seriously ill when infected with rotavirus. The findings highlight the importance of both timely vaccination and proper nutrition.
The research group has also reported remarkable success in treating intussusception, a serious condition in small children in which one part of the intestine slides into another like a telescope. If not treated quickly, the condition can become life-threatening.

Instead of surgery, doctors at Jubilee Mission used a non-surgical method called Ultrasound Guided Hydrostatic Saline Reduction (HSR), where saline is gently pushed into the bowel under ultrasound guidance to unfold the trapped section. The results, published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics, showed a 95.6% success rate of this non-surgical method with no deaths — among the best outcomes reported in the country.

Doctors say early diagnosis, round-the-clock ultrasound facilities, and trained specialists played a key role. However, children who reached the hospital late or came from poorer backgrounds were more likely to need surgery.

Doctors say the message for parents is simple: ensure children receive vaccines on time and maintain good nutrition. These steps can prevent serious illness and save lives.