What is rotavirus?
Rotavirus is a virus that infects the bowels. It is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world and causes the death of about 600,000 children worldwide annually. The name rotavirus comes from the characteristic wheel-like appearance of the virus when viewed by electron microscopy (the name rotavirus is derived from the Latin rota, meaning "wheel").
Almost all children have become infected with rotavirus by their third birthday. Repeat infections with different viral strains are possible, and most children have several episodes of rotavirus infection in the first years of life. After several infections with different strains of the virus, children acquire immunity to rotavirus. Children between the ages of 6 and 24 months are at greatest risk for developing severe disease from rotavirus infection. Adults sometimes become infected, but the resulting illness is usually mild.
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Rotavirus in malaysia.
According to Berita Harian Newspaper, recently, two babies aged two and 10 months in Lower Perak reportedly died, while more than 2,000 people in two districts in Perak suffered health problems believed to be caused by Rotavirus is spread by water causes acute gastroenteritis (AGE).
As far as Sunday, held due to rotavirus AGE cases in two districts in Silver continues to rise when 251 new cases were reported with 15 cases admitted. Based on daily reports state health department, 180 cases detected in Lower Perak District and 71 cases in Batang Padang District until last Tuesday, bringing the total number of accumulated AGE since January 27 to 1.990 cases and 1.078 in two areas.
Symptoms of Rotavirus
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Kids with a rotavirus infection have fever, nausea, and vomiting, often followed by abdominal cramps and frequent, watery diarrhea. Kids may also have a cough and runny nose. As with all viruses, though, some rotavirus infections cause few or no symptoms, especially in adults.
Sometimes the diarrhea that accompanies a rotavirus infection is so severe that it can quickly lead to dehydration. Signs of dehydration include: thirst, irritability, restlessness, lethargy, sunken eyes, a dry mouth and tongue, dry skin, fewer trips to the bathroom to urinate, and (in infants) a dry diaper for several hours.
Contagiousness of Rotavirus
Rotavirus infection is highly contagious. The primary mode of transmission of rotavirus is the passage of the virus in stool to the mouth of another child. This is known as a fecal-oral route of transmission. Children can transmit the virus when they forget to wash their hands before eating or after using the toilet. Touching a surface that has been contaminated with rotavirus and then touching the mouth area can result in infection.
People who care for children, including health care and childcare workers, also can spread the virus, especially if they don't wash their hands after changing diapers.
There also have been cases of low levels of rotavirus in respiratory-tract secretions and other body fluids. Because the virus is stable (remains infective) in the environment, transmission can occur through ingestion of contaminated water or food and contact with contaminated surfaces. Rotavirus can survive for days on hard and dry surfaces, and it can live for hours on human hands.
How to prevent this illness ?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends a rotavirus vaccine be included in the lineup of routine immunizations given to all infants.
The RotaTeq vaccine has been found to prevent approximately 75% of cases of rotavirus infection and 98% of severe cases. Another vaccine, Rotarix, also is available and is effective in preventing rotavirus infection. Your doctor will have the most current information about these vaccines.
A previous rotavirus vaccine was taken off the market in 1999 because it was linked to an increased risk for intussusception, a type of bowel obstruction, in young infants. Neither RotaTeq nor Rotarix have been found to have this increased risk.
Frequent hand washing is the best tool to limit the spread of rotavirus infection. Kids who are infected should stay home from childcare groups until their diarrhea has ended. In hospitals, rotavirus outbreaks are controlled by isolating infected patients and following strict hand-washing procedures.
In Malaysia,intake of immunization at the age of six months can also prevent children from rotavirus infection. There are two types of injections that can be taken two doses at the age of children as young as six months, and there is also offering three doses of vaccine injections should be taken to stimulate the body to mimic the immune response against natural rotavirus infection.
An infant or toddler who becomes moderately or severely dehydrated may need to be treated in a hospital with intravenous (IV) fluids to bring the body's fluid and salt levels back to normal. Most older kids can be treated at home.
Your doctor may need to test your child's blood, urine, or stool to confirm that the diarrhea is being caused by rotavirus and not by bacteria. Because antibiotics do not work against illnesses caused by viruses, the doctor will not prescribe antibiotics to treat a rotavirus infection.
Home Treatment.
To prevent dehydration, follow your doctor's guidance about what your child should eat and drink. Your doctor may suggest that you give your child special drinks that replace body fluids, especially if the diarrhea has been going on for longer than 2 or 3 days.
In general, kids with mild diarrhea who are not dehydrated should continue to eat normally but should receive more fluids. (Fruit juices and soft drinks can make diarrhea worse and should be avoided.) Those who have mild to moderate dehydration should be given an oral rehydration solution in small, frequent amounts to correct the dehydration and then should go back to eating normally. Children who are breastfed should be breastfed throughout.
A child who is vomiting will need to eat smaller amounts more frequently. Follow your doctor's guidance and avoid giving your child store-bought medicines for vomiting or diarrhea unless your doctor recommends them.
Rotavirus videos.
what family said about Rotavirus.
Rotavirus photos.
