Rotavirus infection - including symptoms, treatment and prevention
Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in children - it may cause serious dehydration and require hospitalisation
This is a type of gastroenteritis (also known as ‘gastro’) caused by a virus (rotavirus). There are several different types of rotavirus.
Rotavirus infection is a notifiable condition1
Rotavirus infection is spread through contamination of hands, objects, food or water with infected faeces. The virus is taken in by the mouth. Such routes of infection are common in:
It may also be spread by mucous membrane (the thin moist lining of many parts of the body such as the nose, mouth, throat and genitals) contact with infected airborne droplets produced by coughing and sneezing.
Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in infants and children worldwide. Symptoms include:
The onset is sudden and symptoms last for an average of 3 to 7 days. The illness may cause severe dehydration and require treatment in hospital. Mainly infants up to 3 years of age are affected, but older children and adults may also have symptomatic infection. Children can be infected with rotavirus several times during their lives. Children and adults with impaired immunity are at increased risk of more severe infection. In temperate areas of Australia, rotavirus infections are more common in mid to late winter, while in the northern tropical and arid regions there is no seasonal pattern. Epidemics of rotavirus can occur.
The infection is diagnosed by detecting rotavirus in a faecal sample using a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test in a pathology laboratory.
(time between becoming infected and developing symptoms)
About 24 to 72 hours (1 to 3 days).
(time during which an infected person can infect others)
Children can spread rotavirus 2 days before and up to 8 days after develop diarrhoea. Rotavirus is not usually detectable in the faeces after the 8th day of illness.
Gastroenteritis is a common illness which can be particularly serious in young children. No specific antiviral treatment is available and antibiotics are not effective.
The following are general recommendations for the treatment of gastroenteritis:
Seek medical advice if there are any of the following symptoms:
1 – In South Australia the law requires doctors and laboratories to report some infections or diseases to SA Health. These infections or diseases are commonly referred to as 'notifiable conditions'.