Infection with rotavirus causes severe gastrointestinal problems. It primarily affects young children as well as infants and is highly contagious. Transmission is in the form of smear infection.
What are rotaviruses?
Rotaviruses are not limited to individual regions. They occur worldwide, and 9 out of 10 children will suffer from the disease during their lifetime. Infection with the viruses occurs via smear infection. Thus, infection also results from contact with surfaces and food contaminated by the viruses. Direct contact with an infected person is therefore not a necessary prerequisite. Rotaviruses manage to survive without a host for a long period of time. In indirect contact infection, healthy people touch a contaminated object and become ill in this way. Direct contact infection occurs, for example, by shaking hands. The germs are excreted with the stool and thus reach the surface of the body. The decisive factor for infection is usually poor hygiene, in which the pathogens manage to contaminate surfaces and hands and pass on the disease in this way. The size of the Rota virus is 76 nm. It does not have an envelope. The virus was first discovered in a mouse in the 1950s. Humans can become infected with three rotavirus species as well as their subtypes. The relevant rotaviruses are grouped under the term human rotaviruses. Their round appearance has given the rotaviruses their name. This borrows from the Latin word “rota,” which can be translated as wheel.
Occurrence, distribution, and characteristics
On average, rotaviruses cause diarrhea in infants and young children in 7 out of 10 cases. Different types of the pathogens exist. A total of seven serogroups are differentiated. Serogroup A most frequently results in intestinal disease worldwide. In many countries with poor medical care, the infection can be fatal. It is estimated that approximately 100 million children worldwide become infected with rotavirus each year. About 350,000 to 600,000 affected children under the age of 5 do not survive the course of the disease. In Germany, the majority of patients are adolescents between 6 months and 2 years of age. However, it is also possible for adults to contract rotavirus. The infection then usually takes place via an infected child. Particularly at risk are older people with an age from about 60 years, because with aging the defenses weaken. In this country, there is an obligation to report an illness caused by rotaviruses. In 2013, 48,000 people officially suffered from the manifestations. However, the real number is estimated to be much higher.
Significance and function
After the initial infection, the organism forms antibodies so that infection with the same pathogen is no longer possible. In adults, rotavirus makes itself felt, for example, in the context of traveler’s diarrhea. About 20 percent of all cases of traveler’s diarrhea can be attributed to rotaviruses. Rotaviruses trigger various symptoms and complaints in the human body. Infected individuals suffer from watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea and fever. The course cannot be generalized. While some experience only mild diarrhea, severe effects can develop, especially in infants and young children. The decisive factor for the more severe course in young patients is their immune system, which is not yet fully developed. The deaths in countries with poorer medical care show how dangerous the virus can be for children. If symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting persist, children should always be taken to the doctor. The specific symptoms may already indicate rotavirus. To verify the suspicion, a stool examination is usually ordered. In the laboratory, the germs can be detected in human feces. The incubation period varies between one and three days. After that, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain become noticeable. After about six days, the disease is usually over. However, affected individuals continue to excrete the viruses in their stool, which means that the risk of infection continues for a few days longer. A special therapy for the treatment of rotavirus is not necessary.
Diseases and ailments
Rotavirus infection becomes dangerous when vomiting and diarrhea result in fluid loss. This can result in further health hazards, especially in children and the elderly. Without sufficient compensation for the loss of fluids, sick people can become dehydrated. The first signs are thirst, restlessness and irritability, a dry tongue and mucous membranes, confusion, sunken eyes and low urine output. To counteract the impending complications, the ill person should be encouraged to drink regularly. In cases of severe diarrhea and vomiting, it is sometimes not possible to keep fluids down. In such a case, it may be necessary to start an infusion. This is used in the hospital and mainly affects children. Furthermore, attention should be paid to the intake of electrolytes, which are largely excreted from the body through vomiting and diarrhea. However, especially in infants and young children, the administration of cola (a popular remedy for diarrhea among some) should be avoided. The sugar it contains increases water loss in the organism. In addition, cola promotes the loss of potassium. With adequate intake of fluids and electrolytes, no further complications due to rotavirus infection are to be expected. Although it can assume unpleasant proportions, it very rarely results in the death of the affected person because of the good supply of clean water and medications in this country.
