Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children. Nearly every child in the world is infected with rotavirus at least once by the age of five. Immunity develops with each infection, so subsequent infections are less severe and adults are rarely affected. It infects and damages the cells that line the small intestine and causes gastroenteritis, known as “stomach flu”.
Transmission:
The virus is transmitted by the faecal-oral route through contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, and objects. Viral diarrhea caused by the human rotavirus is extremely contagious and can survive in the environment. Proper sanitation and hygiene are extremely important for containing viral spread, though many studies show that even this may not be enough.
Symptoms:
Once a child is infected by the virus, there is an incubation period of about two days before symptoms appear. Human Rotavirus is a mild to severe disease with the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Watery
- Diarrhea
- Low-grade fever
- Dehydration
