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Apr 2, 2024 · The incubation period for rotavirus disease is approximately 2 days. How it spreads Rotavirus is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route, usually from direct contact between people.
- Overview
- How does rotavirus spread?
- What is the incubation period?
- Symptoms
- Prevention tips
- When to contact a doctor
- Summary
Rotavirus is a common infection among children under 5 years old, causing sickness and diarrhea. The virus primarily spreads through hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated surfaces or food.
Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children under the age of 5 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that the rotavirus vaccine protects most children in the United States from severe effects. However, vaccinated children may still get infected and become sick.
Person-to-person transmission can occur in closed environments such as homes, hospitals, and day care centers.
This article discusses how rotavirus spreads, its incubation period, and its symptoms. It looks at tips for prevention and when to contact a doctor.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) states that rotavirus predominantly spreads through hand-to-mouth contact with feces containing the virus.
People may spread the virus if they do not wash their hands after defecating, cleaning a child who has defecated, or changing a child’s diaper. The virus can survive for hours on hands and hard surfaces and remain infectious in stool for up to a week.
People who have contracted rotavirus excrete significant quantities of viral particles before they show symptoms.
PAHO further advises that the infectious dose is between 10,000 and 10 million viral particles. Stool generally contains 100 billion particles per milliliter.
“Incubation period” refers to the time between when a person has contact with the virus and when they first display symptoms.
The CDC advises that the incubation period for rotavirus is about 2 days. Other experts suggest that the incubation period is between 1 and 3 days.
People are most likely to transmit the virus to others when they have symptoms and during the first 3 days after recovery. However, someone can spread the virus in the days before they have symptoms.
Learn more about the incubation period of the rotavirus.
According to the CDC, symptoms usually start about 2 days after exposure to the rotavirus. Symptoms may include:
•severe watery diarrhea
•vomiting
•fever
•abdominal pain
•loss of appetite
According to the CDC, the rotavirus vaccine protects 9 out of 10 children against severe disease. Healthcare professionals give children rotavirus vaccines by drops in the mouth. A child may require two or three doses depending on which vaccine they receive.
However, even vaccinated children may get infected and sick from rotavirus because natural infection and vaccination do not provide complete protection from future infection. Children who have not had the vaccination may have more severe symptoms the first time they contract the virus.
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases suggests that washing hands after using the toilet and before eating may help a person avoid spreading the virus.
In addition, people who care for children must wash their hands after changing diapers. However, rotavirus is resistant to most disinfectant cleaners, including antibacterial products, and may infect even the cleanest environments.
If someone gets rotavirus, it is essential to prevent dehydration. The CDC explains that drinking plenty of fluids is the best way to do this. People can also buy oral rehydration salts over the counter.
However, a person should consult a doctor before using oral rehydration salts. For children, doctors may recommend an electrolyte solution such as Pedialyte.
Rotavirus may cause dehydration, which is a loss of fluids. This can be especially dangerous for infants and children. Symptoms of dehydration include:
•decreased urination
•dry mouth and throat
•feeling dizzy when standing up
•crying with few or no tears
•unusual sleepiness or fussiness
Rotavirus is a common childhood infection, and vaccination is the best way to prevent severe symptoms. However, vaccination or natural infection does not protect from future infections with the virus.
People must maintain good hygiene by washing their hands frequently, especially after changing diapers and before preparing or eating food.
- Louisa Richards
Apr 28, 2021 · Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea. Before the development of a vaccine, most children 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.
All three symptoms of rotavirus disease (fever, vomiting, and diarrhea) cause children to lose fluids. Vomiting is especially dangerous because it’s dificult to replace fluids in children who are vomiting persistently. Prior to the availability of rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus infection was responsible for more than 400,000 doctor visits, more ...
Mar 7, 2024 · Symptoms of rotavirus usually appear 1 to 3 days after a person is in contact with the virus and last 3 to 8 days. But people with rotavirus are contagious even before they develop symptoms. They're still contagious up to two weeks after they've recovered. Washing your hands often with soap and water is the best way to stop the spread of these ...
Apr 18, 2023 · The most common symptom of rotavirus is severe diarrhea. Children can also experience: vomiting. severe fatigue. a high fever. irritability. dehydration. abdominal pain. Dehydration is the ...
