What causes intussusception?
The cause of intussusception is not known. It may occur more frequently in people who have relatives who also had intussusception. An increased incidence of developing intussusception is often seen in children: • who have cystic fibrosis and are also dehydrated. • who have abdominal or intestinal tumors or masses. • who have an intestinal virus known as gastroenteritis. • who have an upper respiratory tract infection, including infection with adenovirus. • who have just finished taking chemotherapy for cancer. A rotavirus vaccine that was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 was pulled from the market in 1999 because of an association between the vaccine and an increased risk for intussusception in infants aged one year or younger. However, no direct link was established to the vaccine as a cause of intussusception. A new rotavirus vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2006. The risk for intussusception with the new vaccine was evaluated in a large clinical trial
