The virus, called porcine circovirus type 1, is not known to cause disease in humans or animals, but the US Food and Drug Administration is suspending its use while they investigate further, the company said.

"PCV-1 does not multiply in humans and is not known to cause illness in humans. It is found in everyday meat products and is frequently eaten with no resulting disease or illness," the company said in a statement.

"This notwithstanding, the FDA is recommending that US clinicians and public health professionals temporarily suspend the use of Rotarix as a precautionary measure," Glaxo added.

"The FDA have also stated that they intend to convene an advisory committee, within approximately four to six weeks, to review the available data and make recommendations on rotavirus vaccines licensed in the USA. The FDA will also seek input on the use of new techniques for identifying viruses in vaccines." Circoviruses are tiny animal viruses. Porcine circovirus type 2 or PCV-2 is believed to cause postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in young piglets, marked by diarrhea and an inability to gain weight. PCV-1 is related but appears to cause no disease in pigs.

Tests in human cells showed PCV-2 could damage the cells but PCV-1 did not.

Rotavirus can kills babies and young children within days by causing severe diarrhea. It kills more than 500,000 children under 5 every year, nearly half of them in Africa. Rotavirus vaccines are now given as part of the standard immunizations in developed countries such as Canada and the United States.

Merck and Co Inc makes a rotavirus vaccine called RotaTeq, which is not affected by Monday's action.