Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and children worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before the development of a vaccine, most children in the United States had at least one bout with rotavirus by age 5.<\/p>\n
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Although rotavirus infections are unpleasant, you can treat most of them 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.<\/p>\n
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Vaccination can help prevent rotavirus infection in your infant. For older children and adults — who aren’t as likely to develop serious symptoms of rotavirus — frequent hand-washing is the best line of defense.<\/p>\n
Rotavirus is present in an infected person’s stool several days before symptoms appear and for up to 10 days after symptoms subside. The virus spreads easily through hand-to-mouth contact throughout this time — even if the infected person doesn’t have symptoms.<\/p>\n
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If you have rotavirus and you don’t wash your hands after using the toilet — or your child has rotavirus and you don’t wash your hands after changing your child’s diaper or helping your child use the toilet — the virus can spread to anything you touch, including food, toys and utensils. If another person touches your unwashed hands or a contaminated object and then touches his or her mouth, an infection may follow.<\/p>\n
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Because there are many types of rotavirus, it’s possible to be infected more than once, even if you’ve been vaccinated. However, repeat infections are typically less severe.<\/p>\n
A rotavirus infection usually starts with 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.<\/p>\n
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Call your child’s doctor if<\/strong> your child:<\/p>\n
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If you’re an adult, call your doctor if<\/strong> you:<\/p>\n
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