Clinical features

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among children, resulting in the hospitalization of approximately 55,000 children each year in the United States and the death of over 600,000 children annually worldwide. The incubation period for rotavirus disease is approximately 2 days. The disease is characterized by vomiting and watery diarrhea for 3 - 8 days, and fever and abdominal pain occur frequently. Immunity after infection is incomplete, but repeat infections tend to be less severe than the original infection.

The virus

A rotavirus has a characteristic wheel-like appearance when viewed by electron microscopy (the name rotavirus is derived from the Latin rota, meaning "wheel"). Rotaviruses are nonenveloped, double-shelled viruses. The genome is composed of 11 segments of double-stranded RNA, which code for six structural and five nonstructural proteins. The virus is stable in the environment.

Epidemiologic features

The primary mode of transmission is fecal-oral, although some have reported low titers of virus in respiratory tract secretions and other body fluids. Because the virus is stable in the environment, transmission can occur through ingestion of contaminated water or food and contact with contaminated surfaces. In the United States and other countries with a temperate climate, the disease has a winter seasonal pattern, with annual epidemics occurring from November to April. The highest rates of illness occur among infants and young children, and most children in the United States are infected by 2 years of age. Adults can also be infected, though disease tends to be mild.

If you are like many people, you may be asking “What is Rotavirus?”. Rotavirus is of course, a virus. Rotavirus causes severe diarrhea, and mainly affects babies and children 5 years of age and younger. Rotavirus also causes vomiting and fever, along with the diarrhea. Rotavirus is a very severe form of diarrhea, though it is not the only cause of diarrhea, it is one of the worst. 

Every year in the United States of America, Rotavirus sends over 400, 000 people to the doctors office and over 200, 000 people to the emergency room. Rotavirus is also the cause of 55,000 to 70,000 hospital stays in the United States of America each and every year. Rotavirus also kills 20-60 people every year. 

Most people who acquire Rotavirus are under the age of 5 years old. The most likely time to get infected with the Rotavirus is from the months of November and May, and this also depends upon your geographical location. Children get Rotavirus by being around other children who are infected with the virus. 

The good news is that there is a vaccine for Rotavirus. Babies are only allowed to get the vaccine up until they are 32 weeks old. The vaccine is not a shot, it is given orally in 3 doses. About 74% of children who have received the vaccine never acquire Rotavirus, and about 98% do not get a severe case of Rotavirus. Keep in mind that hand washing and sanitation have not been very successful ways of lessening the chance of getting Rotavirus. 

The risks of getting Rotavirus are far greater than the risks of getting the vaccine. Mild problems that children have had after receiving the vaccine include mild diarrhea or vomiting within a week of getting the vaccine, but this has only affected 1-3% of all children who have received the vaccine. There have been no severe reactions to this vaccine thus far.