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Rotavirus - Causes , Symptoms andTreatment

By: ashu

Definition

Rotavirus is a viral infection of the digestive tract. It is the most common cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in infants and young children. Adults sometimes become infected, but the resulting illness is usually mild. In both developed and developing countries, rotavirus is a common cause of hospitalization and death. The name rotavirus comes from the characteristic wheel-like appearance of the virus when viewed by electron microscopy.

Causes

Nearly every child in the world contracts the virus repeatedly before the age of 5. The virus lives in the bowels of infected children and is present in the diarrhoea that an infected child produces. The virus then enters the body of the children through the mouth or nose. Four types of viruses cause most viral gastroenteritis :-

1.Rotavirus
2.Adenovirus
3.Caliciviruses
4.Astrovirus

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.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. Other symptoms are :-

Headache
Fever
Chills and
Abdominal pain

The incubation period for rotavirus disease is approximately 2-4 days.
Breastfeeding does not prevent rotavirus but the illness can be milder in breastfed infants.
The disease is mostly mild. However 1-2% of those infected, develop dehydration associated with severe loss of sodium and chloride in the stools and a compensated metabolic acidosis.

Virtually all children become infected with rotavirus in the first 3 to 5 years of life, but severe diarrhea and dehydration occur mainly among children aged 3 to 35 months.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for rotavirus. Viral infections are not treatable with antibiotics. The most effective therapy is to encourage sick children to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. If your baby seems bloated or gassy after drinking cow's milk or formula, call your pediatrician to discuss a temporary change in diet.

If your child has a fever or headache, give them liquid paracetamol or ibuprofen. Do not give your child anti-diarrhoea medicines - they are for adult use only.
The three most widely available products that you will find in nearly every pharmacy are pedialyte (Ross Laboratories), infalyte (Mead Johnson Nutritionals), reVital (PTS Labs).
It is important that a physician for evaluation and treatment sees the child.

Rotavirus is a viral infection of the digestive tract. It is the most common cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in infants and young children.

Alien writes for Woman health . He also writes for Health care and you might be interested in prescription drugs information.

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