Rotavirus in children

Rotavirus is an unpleasant and even dangerous disease. Rotavirus enteritis can kill more than 200 people worldwide per year (1). The threat is severe dehydration, which occurs as a result of vomiting and diarrhea.

About 95% of children get rotavirus infection before the age of 5 years. Children between six months and two years of age are more commonly affected. The body usually clears up the infection on its own. However, rotavirus should not be taken lightly. RVI is especially dangerous for infants, as they are more likely to become dehydrated if they have severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Infection with the virus occurs by the fecal-oral route, that is, through unwashed hands, contaminated water, unprocessed fruits and vegetables. The source of infection can also be objects that the child has come into contact with: dishes, toys, books. For the development of the disease, it is enough that only 1-2 viruses enter the body.

Symptoms of rotavirus in children

The incubation period of rotavirus infection is 1-2 days, after which the disease begins to develop rapidly. The first symptoms of the infection resemble a cold, which is why rotavirus is often called “intestinal flu” by the people. There is an increase in temperature to 38-39 ° C (fever occurs in more than 90% of patients), runny nose, sore throat, weakness, drowsiness. But the main symptoms of rotavirus gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. The frequency of loose stools in babies under 2 years old can reach 14 times a day. The duration of diarrhea is usually 3-9 days, but can last up to two weeks and lead to severe dehydration.

There may also be pain in the abdomen, aggravated by palpation, flatulence.

It is important to be aware of the signs of dehydration, as this is the most dangerous consequence of rotavirus. These include:

• lethargy,
• irritability,
• extreme thirst or refusal to drink water,
• sunken eyes,
• the skin is pale or patchy, loses elasticity (the skin fold straightens out very slowly),
• decreased diuresis,
• lack of tears
• the baby’s fontanel may appear sunken.

Treatment of rotavirus in children

The disease usually resolves on its own. There are no effective antiviral agents that act on rotavirus infection.

With regard to nutrition, there is no need to limit the child in food if he has an appetite.

Foods rich in complex carbohydrates (pasta, rice, potatoes), lean meat, yogurt are best tolerated during intestinal infections. However, eating and drinking high in simple sugars (fruit juices, sodas) and fats can increase the severity of diarrhea. Whole milk consumption may increase the duration of diarrhea due to the development of temporary self-limiting lactose (milk sugar) intolerance.

What medicines to take

Therapy for rotavirus infection should be aimed at restoring lost fluid. For this, it is necessary to give the child glucose-salt solutions. You need to take liquid in small doses with breaks of 8-12 minutes.

In severe dehydration, the liquid is administered intravenously in the form of special solutions. In these cases, treatment is carried out in a hospital.

How many days does it last

Rotavirus infection in children aged 3 to 7 years is milder. As a rule, diarrhea lasts no more than three days, and complete recovery occurs in 4-5 days.

In children under 3 years of age, rotavirus infection is more severe. Intestinal syndrome usually lasts 3 to 5 days, but may persist longer. But, as a rule, recovery occurs in 6-7 days.

It is important to understand that having recovered, the child can become infected again – due to the seasonal circulation of rotavirus serotypes. But in such cases, the disease proceeds more easily.

Is it possible to treat at home

Treatment of rotavirus infection is usually done on an outpatient basis, that is, at home. And for the most part, it consists of rehydration with glucose-salt solutions.

But sometimes these measures are not enough. In severe cases, for example, with severe dehydration, hospitalization is required.

If symptoms (in particular diarrhea) persist for more than 7-10 days, it is worth consulting a doctor to, among other things, exclude the possibility of a parasitic or bacterial infection.

Prevention of rotavirus in children

The main measures that can reduce the likelihood of contracting rotavirus infection are personal hygiene and vaccination. Everyone knows the rules of personal hygiene from kindergarten:

• wash hands upon returning from the street, after the toilet, and immediately before eating;
• do not drink tap water;
• wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly;
• products (especially meat and fish) subjected to heat treatment;
• avoid visiting dubious cafes and bistros.

Doctors recommend vaccination as a measure to prevent rotavirus infection. In Our Country, a pentavalent (contains 5 live strains of rotavirus) RotaTeq vaccine created in the USA is used. To achieve the required level and duration of protection against rotavirus gastroenteritis, a full course of vaccination with the introduction of 3 doses in the period from 6 to 32 weeks should be carried out.

This vaccination significantly reduces the number of cases of acute rotavirus gastroenteritis, and accordingly, the frequency of hospitalizations with this diagnosis decreases.

Expert Commentary

“In our country, the specific prevention of rotavirus infection is not given due attention,” notes pediatrician Lyudmila Imaeva. — In highly developed countries, vaccination prevents 92% of cases of severe rotavirus infection in children under 1 year of age and 82% of cases in children under 2 years of age. Efficiency in preventing the need for hospitalization associated with rotavirus infection is about 90%. But you need to understand that vaccination against rotavirus infection does not protect against intestinal infections caused by other pathogens.

Popular questions and answers

They know about rotavirus in wide circles that this is a “popular” disease among children, which is expressed in intestinal irritation and its consequences and passes without serious treatment. But there are a few important things to be aware of. Questions are answered by an expert, pediatrician Lyudmila Imaeva.

Sources of

1. Tate JE, Burton AH, Boschi-Pinto C, Parashar UD; World Health Organization–Coordinated Global Rotavirus Surveillance Network. Global, regional, and national estimates of rotavirus mortality in children <5 years of age, 2000–2013. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;62 Suppl 2:S96–105. doi: 10.1093/cid/civ1013.