Rotavirus
Alternative Names
Rotavirus infection, Genus Rotavirus, Viral GastroenteritisWhat is Rotavirus
Rotavirus is a virus that infects the bowels and causes severe diarrhoea usually among infants and young children. This is one of the viruses that cause infections called stomach flu, although they do not connected with influenza. It is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. There are five types of this virus: A, B, C, D, and E. The most widespread is Rotavirus A. The name of this virus comes from the characteristic wheel-like appearance of the virus when viewed by microscopy (the name rotavirus is derived from the Latin rota, meaning "wheel").
Signs and symptoms
The most common symptoms are a fever, watery diarrhea which lasts from 3 to 8 days and vomiting. The infection can also trigger abdominal pain. If it affects the adults, sometimes it does not cause any symptoms.
You should call the doctor if the following symptoms appear:
- severe or bloody diarrhea
- frequent episodes of vomiting for more than three hours
- a temperature of 103 F (39.4 C) or higher
- irritation or pain
- signs or symptoms of dehydration — dry mouth, crying without tears, little or no urination, unusual sleepiness or unresponsiveness
Possible complications
The most common complication is dehydration, especially in young children. If you ignore dehydration, it can become a life-threatening condition.
What causes
The most common cause is poor hygiene. But sometimes rotavirus can be caused by:
- food poisoning from eating contaminated food
- drinking contaminated water
- a side effect of antibiotics
Prevention
It is very difficult to prevent such infections, even if hygiene is perfect. The best way is vaccination. Studies showed that it can prevent about 74% of all rotavirus cases. Moreover, it can prevent approximately 98% of severe cases and 96% of hospitalizations from rotavirus. In one Massachusetts hospital, in two years, the number of cases dropped from 65 to three.
Treatment
It is important to discuss the treatment with the doctor. Actually, there is no special treatment plan. The aim of the treatment is to maintain hydration. In some cases it is recommended to use intravenous fluids.
