Rotavirus is a virus that infects the bowels, causing a severe inflammation of the stomach and bowels (known as gastroenteritis). Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world and causes the death of about 500,000 children worldwide annually.
Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea. It's the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and children worldwide, resulting in over 215,000 deaths annually. Before the development of a vaccine, most children in the United States had been infected with the virus at least once by age 5.
Although rotavirus infections are unpleasant, you can usually treat this infection at home with extra fluids to prevent dehydration. Occasionally, severe dehydration requires intravenous fluids in the hospital. Dehydration is a serious complication of rotavirus and a major cause of childhood deaths in developing countries.
Good hygiene, such as washing your hands regularly, is important. But vaccination is the best way to prevent rotavirus infection.
Rotavirus infection usually starts within two days of exposure to the virus. Initial symptoms are a fever and vomiting, followed by three to eight days of watery diarrhea. The infection can cause abdominal pain as well.
In adults who are otherwise healthy, a rotavirus infection may cause only mild signs and symptoms or none at all.