Rotavirus Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Vaccine and Diagnosis on MedicineNet.com

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Rotavirus Infection

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Medical Revising Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Revising Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Moms Uninformed About Rotavirus Infection

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, MD

Learn about the causes, symptoms, and complications of rotavirus infection. A survey of 600 U.S. mothers with children under the age three revealed that over 70% of mothers have read or heard little or nothing about rotavirus infection, the most common cause of diarrhea in young children throughout the world. Almost all children have had multiple rotavirus infections by the time they enter kindergarten. While the illness is normally self-limited and does not require special treatment, complications and even death can result from severe dehydration that can occur with rotavirus illness when supportive treatment (rehydration) is not given. Rotavirus infection is responsible for an estimated 500,000 visits to doctor's offices and 160,000 emergency-room visits among children each year in the U.S.

Rotavirus symptoms include:

Abdominal pain may also occur, and infected children may have profuse watery diarrhea up to several times per day. Symptoms can last from three to nine days. Immunity from repeated infection is incomplete after a rotavirus infection, but repeated infections tend to be less severe than the original infection.

Rotavirus infection is highly contagious. The primary mode of transmission of rotavirus is the passage of the virus in stool to the mouth of another child, known as a fecal-oral route of transmission. The virus can live for hours on hands and even longer on hard surfaces. Since the virus is so prevalent, it is very difficult or even impossible to prevent your child from acquiring a rotavirus infection.

Read important rotavirus statistics »

Top Searched Rotavirus Terms:

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What is rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a virus that infects the bowels. It is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world and causes the death of about 600,000 children worldwide annually. The name rotavirus comes from the characteristic wheel-like appearance of the virus when viewed by electron microscopy (the name rotavirus is derived from the Latin rota, meaning "wheel").

Almost all children have become infected with rotavirus by their third birthday. Repeat infections with different viral strains are possible, and most children have several episodes of rotavirus infection in the first years of life. After several infections with different strains of the virus, children acquire immunity to rotavirus. Children between the ages of 6 and 24 months are at greatest risk for developing severe disease from rotavirus infection. Adults sometimes become infected, but the resulting illness is usually mild.

Each year in the U.S., rotavirus infection results in the hospitalization of an estimated 55,000 children, 200,000 emergency-room visits, and 400,000 visits to doctor's offices. It is estimated that 100 children die each year in the U.S. from complications of rotavirus infection. Rotavirus affects populations in all socioeconomic groups and is equally prevalent in industrialized and developing countries, so differences in sanitation practices or water supply are not likely to affect the incidence of the infection.

In the U.S., rotavirus infections usually peak in the fall months in the Southwest and spread to the Northeast by spring, so infections are most common during the winter months from November to May. However, infection with rotavirus can occur anytime of the year.

What are rotavirus symptoms?

The time period from initial infection to symptoms (incubation period) for rotavirus disease is around two days. Symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting, and watery diarrhea. Abdominal pain may also occur, and infected children may have profuse watery diarrhea up to several times per day. Symptoms generally persist for three to nine days. Immunity from repeated infection is incomplete after a rotavirus infection, but repeated infections tend to be less severe than the original infection.

Rotavirus infection can be associated with severe dehydration in infants and children. Severe dehydration can lead to death in rare cases, so it is important to recognize and treat this complication of rotavirus infection. In addition to the symptoms of rotavirus infection discussed above, parents should be aware of the symptoms of dehydration that can occur with rotavirus infection or with other serious conditions.

Symptoms of dehydration include