ROTAVIRUS

 

Description:    Rotavirus is a virus (germ) that causes severe diarrhea, usually with fever and vomiting. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis (diarrhea) in infants and young children in the United States (U.S.).

Symptoms:    Rotavirus gastroenteritis usually starts with fever, an upset stomach, and vomiting, followed by diarrhea. The watery diarrhea can be mild to severe and generally will last for 3 to 9 days.

Complications:    In the first 5 years of life, four out of five children in the United States will develop rotavirus diarrhea, one in seven will require a clinic or emergency room visit, one in 78 will require hospitalization and it is estimated that one in 200,000 children die from rotavirus diarrhea.

Transmission:    Rotavirus is very easy to catch. Large amounts of rotavirus are shed in the stool of infected persons and rotavirus is easily spread on contaminated hands and objects. Children can spread rotavirus both before and after they become sick with diarrhea. They can sometimes pass the virus to other members of the family and close contacts.

Vaccine:    Rotavirus vaccine can prevent this disease.

Printable Vaccine Information Statement

Pictures:  CDC pictures / Immunization Action Coalition pictures.