Rotaviruses in children and adults – symptoms, treatment, prevention, vaccination

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If you survive a rotavirus attack in your home, you will probably think three times if it was worth getting vaccinated. Especially that for small children, meeting with this microorganism often ends with treatment in the hospital.

Rotaviruses – infection

Rotavirus is an extremely nasty microbe. He loves winter. It is extremely contagious and can live outside the body for a long time. It is enough for the child to get into the elevator, which was previously ridden by infected with Roavirus, and the diarrhea is ready. It remains on unwashed hands for several hours, on furniture or toys for up to several weeks. The most common route of infection is via the droplet route. You can get infected when an infected sneezes or coughs around you.

Rotaviruses – signs of infection

– The disease begins with a low fever, then vomiting appears, sometimes very intense – even several to several dozen times a day. Then the patient develops diarrhea, usually watery, shooting and persistent. It is very tiring for a child – says pediatrician Janusz Tylewicz. She adds that these symptoms can lead to dehydration relatively quickly.

– If the baby is affected by the disease, it is best to seek the help of a doctor immediately, who will decide whether the baby should be taken to the hospital and given a drip. In older children, you can wait a bit and see if the child is dehydrated, says Tylewicz. Rotavirus is not treated with any tablets. Fighting your disease is really about preventing dehydration.

As for adults, the symptoms of virus infection are closely related to the condition of the whole organism of the sick person. Thus, the symptoms of acute gastric flu most often appear in immunocompromised people. Adults infected with rotaviruses most often struggle with increased frequency of passing watery stools (up to several times a day), nausea and vomiting.

There is also a 39-degree fever, dizziness, headaches and abdominal pain, as well as muscle aches. All of this can lead to dehydration, which can be seen in the presence of: tachycardia, dry skin, infrequent urination and a drop in blood pressure.

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Treatment of rotavirus infection

When it comes to treating rotavirus infections, as with other viral infections, there is no cure, and treatment consists of relieving symptoms and providing the sick person with adequate fluid and micronutrients. In the event of a life-threatening situation, the sick person begins hospital treatment under the supervision of specialists.

On the other hand, people who are treated at home and their lives are not in danger, should receive electrolytes and probiotics, whose task is to rebuild the intestinal microbiota. In addition, the patient’s diet should not burden the digestive system, so it should be easy to digest.

Rotavirus infection and body hydration

– The most important thing in the disease is rehydration. Watering until you drop – explains the pediatrician. If the child vomits, we give him a spoonful of cold liquid, or even a drop, at intervals of several minutes. It is best to hydrate with electrolytes available in pharmacies, but if the child does not want to drink them, plain water can be used – explains Tylewicz. He adds that in the initial stage of the disease, the child does not need to eat, but absolutely must drink three glasses of liquid per kilogram of body weight.

Symptoms of dehydration in infants are primarily crying without tears, dry diapers for more than six hours, chapped lips. If we grasp a fold of skin on the abdomen of a dehydrated child in two fingers, it will not straighten out after release, says the pediatrician. She adds that a dehydrated infant has a sunken cap and eyes.

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Rotaviruses – prophylaxis

It is known that after vaccination, live vaccine virus is excreted, especially around the seventh day after vaccination, therefore the relatives of the vaccinated child should observe special hygiene and wash their hands after each change of diaper. Rotavirus vaccines should be used with particular caution in children who are in close contact with chronically ill people, especially those taking medications that suppress immunity.

In order to avoid infection, in addition to taking care of personal hygiene, you should also regularly disinfect usable surfaces and everyday items, such as: door handles, mobile phone, light switches, home keys, wallet or payment cards. Let’s not forget about the cleanliness of the places where we eat and prepare our meals.

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How to avoid rotavirus infection?

It’s hard to protect yourself against rotavirus infection. The methods of isolation or wearing a mask are not very effective, says Dr. Tylewicz. If one child falls ill in a kindergarten or nursery, the rest of them become infected with it. Children from six months to two years of age are particularly vulnerable to infection. If a child falls ill, then the virus affects his entire family.

After the diarrhea resolves, it takes about seven days for a child infected with the Roatvirus to stop spreading it. Once a disease has passed, it gives immunity to a specific virus. At least five rotavirus strains are dangerous for humans.

Rotavirus vaccination

– Although it is not a fatal disease in Poland, if someone can afford it, it is worth getting vaccinated – says Dr. Tylewicz. A rotavirus attack is exhausting for both the baby and the mother. And when such a child appears in the hospital, the entire ward is exposed to disease.

Vaccines available at the pharmacy are administered orally in a doctor’s office after examining the child. Two- or three-dose vaccines can be purchased. If a three-dose vaccine is used, vaccination can be started up to 12 weeks of age at the latest. In the case of a two-dose vaccine, as early as 6 weeks. It should be remembered that the intervals between successive doses should be at least four weeks.

The preparation can be administered together with other vaccinations during one visit to the pediatrician. The entire vaccination course should be completed – depending on the type of vaccine – by 24 or 26 weeks of age. One dose of the vaccine costs about three hundred zlotys. They protect against disease for a minimum of two years.

Can anyone get vaccinated against rotavirus?

Remember that not all children can be immunized. Children over 24 weeks of age should not be vaccinated, as well as toddlers who are allergic to the substances contained in the vaccine. Additionally, other contraindications for vaccination may be mentioned: vomiting and diarrhea; birth defects of the digestive tract that increase the risk of intussusception; severe infectious diseases; immune system disorders; previous intussusception.

Find out more: Rotarix – rotavirus vaccine, indications, dose, composition, side effects.

Rotaviruses in Adults

In most adults, rotavirus infection is mild. The situation is different in the case of people over 65 years of age, as an acute infection may develop, requiring hospitalization. If diarrhea and vomiting occur, the patient should be provided with adequate hydration and diet. One should also not forget about the basic principles of personal hygiene and hygiene regarding the preparation and serving of meals.

When it comes to liquids, still water at a lukewarm temperature can be a good choice, served in small amounts, but often (it’s better not to serve hot and cold drinks). You can also try serving teas with mint and chamomile, which will have a soothing effect on the digestive system. One should also not forget about rehydrating preparations, thanks to which the water and electrolyte deficiencies will be replenished and the body will not become dehydrated.

It should be added that a sick person may not eat food for the first two days and it will not be a threat to them. You may start taking light foods (e.g. gruels, boiled vegetables, soups, crackers, rice, porridge, yoghurt or bananas) when symptoms improve. Food that is difficult to digest, i.e. fried or smoked, should be avoided.

If your symptoms are severe, you will likely need to be hospitalized with IV fluids. In addition, blood, stool and urine tests will be performed to detect the virus antigen.

See also: Rotavirus vaccination – indications, contraindications, prices

Does the infection immunize you against rotaviruses?

In children, rotavirus infection can cause many serious problems, which is why there is more and more talk about campaigns related to vaccination options against rotavirus. According to published information, in the United States alone, approximately 2,7 million children had rotavirus diarrhea each year before the vaccination program was implemented, of which 60 were children. were undergoing hospital treatment, and approx. 37 thousand. was dying.

It should be noted that once infected people begin to develop immunity over time, so that the next rotavirus infection does not cause severe symptoms for them.

Rotaviruses in pregnancy

It should be noted that rotaviruses themselves do not pose a threat to pregnancy and the developing fetus. However, the threat may be the water and electrolyte imbalance in the future mother, which makes it necessary to ensure adequate hydration and careful monitoring of the body. If any alarming symptoms appear (e.g. dehydration), we should immediately consult a doctor.

Rotavirus – complications

As for complications, in the case of rotavirus infections, digestive and absorption disorders most often occur, which may lead to the development of chronic diarrhea manifested by watery acidic stools and abdominal distension. In addition, there may also be numerous skin lesions in the form of inflammations in the buttocks and anus area. In the case of a child – he becomes lethargic, restless and does not want to eat his mother’s food or drink milk, which causes him to lose weight.

Other complications resulting from rotavirus infection may include hepatitis, respiratory tract infection (bronchitis or pneumonia), convulsions in the course of infection of the central nervous system, and hematological disorders. Intussusception, i.e. insertion of one section of the intestine into another, can occur relatively rarely, and is a very serious complication.