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Rotavirus is the leading cause of diarrheal illness worldwide. Before routine vaccination of infants in the U.S., rotavirus was associated annually with approximately 400,000 physician visits, 200,000 emergency department visits, 70,000 hospitalizations, and 20 to 60 deaths in children younger than 5 years (CDC). The first vaccine (RotaShield, licensed in 1999) was withdrawn from the U.S. market because it was associated with increased risk for intussusception. In 2006 and 2008, two other vaccines (RotaTeq and Rotarix) were introduced and have been incorporated into the vaccine schedule, resulting in substantial declines in rotavirus-related hospitalizations and treatment costs. Studies from Australia and Mexico have suggested a slight incr…