Rotavirus infection is an infectious disease that results from the ingestion of rotavirus. She is expressed in various failures on the part of the digestive system and ENT organs. Diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, fever - these are all symptoms of this unpleasant disease. Usually the acute phase of the disease passes within 3-5 days. How is rotavirus infection transmitted? There are many ways of infection: unwashed hands, contaminated water, food, and household items.

Rotavirus - these are particles of the genus Rotavirus, which are able to survive in different weather conditions: be it a severe frost or exhausting heat, it will survive. It is extremely difficult to get rid of viral particles, since neither antibacterial treatment, nor freezing, nor ether or chloroform kill them. In natural waters, rotavirus can live for up to several months, and on food and surfaces it can live for up to a month. With this he is dangerous that it is quite simple to get infected again. The only method to combat rotavirus infection is boiling, since rotavirus serotypes are afraid of water heated to one hundred degrees Celsius.

Ways of infection with rotavirus infection

The most dangerous danger for infection is a sick infection.. The body is released from rotavirus through fecal excrement, therefore it is most likely to become infected from a carrier as soon as he gets sick and at the end of the acute phase of the disease, which occurs after 5 days. Viral particles of gastric flu can leave the body for about three weeks. Medical workers, who are usually just carriers, as they constantly have contact with the infection, can excrete the virus with feces for several months.

Rotavirus is transmitted from person to person by the so-called fecal-oral route. Possible infection options are more than enough:

• contact and household. Rotavirus infection enters the human body through the use of common household items with an infected person and through unwashed hands;
• water and alimentary. Infection occurs through water, into which particles of the virus could get from the vomit or feces of the carrier. Contamination of tap water is a major cause of sharp increases in incidence. Rotavirus infection can long exist in food, especially in milk and dairy products. In this way, the virus enters the unprotected body through the mouth with food and water.

After a person has suffered intestinal flu, he produces antibodies that for some time do not allow re-infection. However, this is not chickenpox, the relapses of which are seen in isolated cases - there is no such thing as a developed immunity for rotavirus, so after some year and a half you can get the same serotype of the virus. Antibodies act not for long, and old people and children can become infected again almost immediately after an illness. The only good news is that the disease arising from re-infection is more easily tolerated.

Rotavirus is so contagious that it is able to infect organisms not only through the use of common household supplies, but also through handrails in public transport, through door handles, through bank notes, etc. Enough for a single touch of dirty hands, rotavirus, to the mouth and infection is provided. The question whether the rotavirus is transmitted by airborne droplets will also be answered positively. Yes, it is assumed that they can become infected by sneezing or close contact with an infected person.

One of the very interesting facts about this disease, is that the infection may occur first in the person who became infected later than in the person from whom the infection occurred. That is, for example, having come home within a few hours after infection and using a common towel, a young man who has brought an infection to the house can detect symptoms of the disease later than the child, old man   or a person with weak immunity who lives with him.

The most acute phase of the incubation period of rotavirus infection lasts about 16 hours from the moment the virus particles enter the body. First, there is a sharp increase in temperature, after swelling and spasms appear in the gastrointestinal tract and, as a result, vomiting and diarrhea. All these reactions occur almost immediately, one after another. In some cases, especially in children, pains in the throat occur, therefore, sometimes the etiology of the onset of such symptoms is not immediately clear, and the intestinal flu can be easily confused with angina.

Epidemiological exacerbation occurs during the cold season, but the disease does not have the concept of seasonality, like an influenza virus, so you can get it all year round. Doctors suspect that a jump in the incidence in the cold months is due to the lack of the necessary amount of vitamins to adequately resist the immunity of rotavirus infection.

Symptoms of the disease

In the first days of the disease, the symptoms of rotavirus infection are very pronounced and very unpleasant. Key features:

• high fever, chills and body aches;
• persistent vomiting, sour-smelling diarrhea;
• cramps and spastic pains in the stomach and intestines;
• flatulence and persistent gurgling in the stomach;
• weakness, lethargy, apathy, unwillingness to eat and drink;
• pallor skin integumentdry mucous membranes and cracks in the lips;
• white plaque on the tongue;
• light dry cough;
• swelling of the nasal mucosa;
• severe sore throat;
• conjunctivitis;
• gland inflammation;
• swollen lymph nodes.

As for very young patients, they may develop otitis, rhinitis or pharyngitis because of a rotavirus infection.

The disease is very dangerous for children up to a year, as it threatens dehydration, which can even lead to death, so it is very important to feed the baby if he refuses breast or mixture. Breast-feeding, by the way, is one of preventive measures   in the presence of danger of infection.

Preventive measures

Prevention of rotavirus as such is not that it does not exist, and it may simply be not enough to avoid catching the disease. All because of the amazing resistance of virus particles to a variety of weather conditions, as well as the ability to adapt to the natural features of any terrain. Besides, outside the body, the virus feels quite comfortable and lives on furniture, dishes, food and water.

Observance of sanitary and hygienic rules

One of the mandatory preventive measures is the isolation of the patient for a period of about two weeks. If the disease is severe, for example, blood impurities are detected in the patient's feces, the temperature reaches 39, and vomiting does not stop, then hospitalization is obligatory!

If the infection does not manifest itself too aggressively, and the conditions allow, you can wait for recovery, limiting home care. In the room where the patient is, should be carried out wet cleaning with the addition of disinfectants. It is recommended to remove all unnecessary items from the room infected, in order to limit his contact with them as much as possible.

The basic rule is the observance of sanitary and hygienic norms. The first infection occurs in children, because of their age, they are too scattered and not accustomed to hygiene. Having noticed the symptoms of rotavirus among children, an adult should try to isolate the infected child, and then boil or boil objects and textile items with which he had contact.

Personal hygiene

Personal hygiene plays an important role, so from an early age you need to explain to the child how important it is to wash their hands after visiting the bathroom, and remember to follow this rule yourself. If the baby is sick, then after washing your hands you will need a special treatment with a disinfecting alcohol solution or gel. Although the virus is resistant to various disinfectors, reinsuring and wiping the child and his hands with antibacterial wet wipes after transport will definitely not interfere. Wash clothes best laundry soap, as it helps to get rid of the particles deposited on it.

During periods of seasonal exacerbations, when the incidence of rotavirus infection increases, it is better to refrain from eating and eating in places of public catering. Fruits and vegetables need to be doused with boiling water after washing, as this is the only remedy that particles of this virus fear. In addition, it does not hurt to switch to the use of boiled water.

If cases of infection with rotavirus were recorded in the kindergarten group or at school, during cleaning all surfaces should be treated with chlorine-containing solutions. Offices and other work establishments are no exception in this case.

Rotavirus should not be underestimated. In the absence of adequate treatment, complications of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and circulatory system will not take long. Statistics show that the mortality from gastric flu varies between 2-3 percent. Therefore, there is nothing easier than to follow the rules of personal hygiene and teach children to them from early childhood, because the ways of transmitting rotavirus infection are in one way or another connected with the lack of proper handling of hands and household items.

Rotavirus Disease - intestinal infection, provoked by rotavirus. Causes severe diarrhea, intoxication, dehydration. Rotavirus has a wide geography of distribution. The problem is known in Russia and other countries. Adults and children are subject to intestinal flu, regardless of region of residence, financial situation. Almost 100% of children in the age group from 3 to 5 years have had the disease once.

Characteristic: accompanied by fever, runny nose, sore throat. Not individually mistakenly diagnosed and treated as respiratory disease. The correct, timely diagnosis determines how long the acute period of rotavirus infection will last.

The causative agent of the disease is rotavirus. Hitting through oral cavity   into the body, rotavirus multiplies in the intestine, infects the mucous membrane, destroys enzymes, leading to inflammatory process. In children, the symptoms of rotavirus infection are convulsions, dry skin, lethargy. Infected with rotavirus is poorly nourished, loses weight, feels weak in the body.

Infants who have had a rotavirus disease develop lactose intolerance mainly in the case of artificial feeding with milk formulas. Few parents know that the presence of rotavirus infection in the body of a baby is determined using an express test, purchased in the nearest pharmacy. For research used feces, vomit.

The course of rotavirus infection rarely ends with complications, if you restore the water balance in time, follow a diet. The statistics are disappointing: due to the negligence of parents from dehydration, incessant diarrhea, half a million babies die every year from rotavirus. Occurs more frequently in Africa, Asia, and poor countries with problems in medicine and water supply. Weakened by inadequate and low-quality nutrition, the children's body cannot cope with the virus.

Similar to rotavirus infections are signs of bacterial intestinal infections. They are provoked by pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, dysentery, salmonellosis), transmitted by household and food routes with dirty hands, toys, and water. E. coli lives in every organism.

Types of E. coli:

• Non-pathogenic bacteria are inherent in every organism, play a role in protection against harmful microbes.
• Pathogenic bacteria - lead to inflammation, disruption of intestinal microflora. The time of division of E. coli in a nutrient medium is 20-25 minutes. One cell per day forms 72 generations of pathogenic cells. With a long absence of competent therapy, a large number of organs and tissues are affected.

The division of E. coli results in a sliding method: a newly formed cell does not separate from the mother cell, but slides.

A lot has been said about Escherichia coli and intestinal infections, but many have come across painful illness. Vomiting, diarrhea mixed with mucus, blood or pus, pain in the stomach, rumbling and flatulence (excessive flatulence in the intestines) speak of bacteria. If symptoms persist, consult an infectious diseases specialist who performs bacteriological testing, which determines the type of intestinal infection.

E. coli can be found in meat, livestock milk. Cook it with Russian roast, especially if you bought it with hands, on a market that is not equipped with its own laboratory. Boil milk from your own cow, a goat. The sticks are also found in stale meat, milk. To avoid infection with intestinal infection, check the shelf life of food products, do not eat after expiration. Do not give expired yogurts, curds, curds to children. Intestinal infection lasts 3-5 days.

Methods and sources of infection with rotavirus infection

Rotavirus infection is equally dangerous for adults and crumbs. Difference: children (babies) are more difficult because of severe diarrhea and dehydration. Where can I get rotavirus? In contact with the carrier in public places: schools, kindergartens, shops, transport. It is transmitted by airborne, contact-household routes, when coughing, sneezing, through poor-quality products, food that has not undergone complete heat treatment, water (even chlorinated), unwashed fruits and vegetables. Carrier may not be sick with rotavirus infection.

Rotavirus spreads during the cold season - resistant to low temperatures, spreads faster with flu epidemics, ARVI. Rotavirus infection is not respiratory - treating only the common cold will not solve the problem. The fever and runny nose disappear after the start of treatment of the intestines with sorbents, adherence to the correct daily regimen, and eating food.

“Rotavirus” loves large groups and families. When diagnosing the disease, the victim is isolated, supplied with individual dishes, hygiene products. A person cannot become infected with wild and domestic animals with rotavirus, a pathogenic virus of another person.

General characteristics of rotaviruses

Doctors and professors derived a clear classification of pathogens of intestinal infections (rotaviruses and forms).

The core of the virus is surrounded by three protein membranes, which makes it resistant to cold, the acidic environment of the stomach. Rotavirus is variable, common in nature. Resistant to disinfectants, stored in purified water and food. Comfortably virus in the upper sections of the small intestine, from where it spreads through the gastrointestinal tract. Long incubation is inherent - the virus manages to spread through the patient's intestines, to stand out in the form of saliva and feces. The only way to protect yourself from rotavirus is hygiene. Rotavirus infection is called the disease of unwashed hands.

As a result of the vital activity of rotavirus in the intestine, in its upper parts, disintegrated cells accumulate duodenal ulcer, food debris, virus, provoking inflammation.

Types of rotavirus infections

Forms of rotavirus infection

The appearance of rotavirus disease is associated with the age of the infected, associated diseases, infections, and the number of viral bacilli in the body.

The severe form of the disease is rare, inherent in children under five years. In adults, rotavirus infection occurs in the mild form without complications.

Depending on the severity of intestinal flu, the following forms are distinguished:

• Incubation - asymptomatic, up to several days. During the incubation period, the disease is detected when a disease occurs in a group of people who have come into contact with the patient (class, office, family, friends).
• Light - with discomfort in the stomach, diarrhea up to five times a day, occasional vomiting. Characterized by mushy stools, the symptoms disappear in 3-4 days.
• Moderate - with nausea, vomiting, short-term knocked down temperature 37-39C, weakness. Diarrhea - up to ten times a day for 5-7 days.
• Severe - with severe diarrhea, poor urination, severe vomiting, fever, diarrhea up to ten times a day for up to 10 days.

Intestinal flu

According to the nature of the course, forms of rotavirus disease are distinguished:

• acute, characterized by a rapid flow;
• protracted - with a protracted acute period;
• with complications;
• mix-form: multiple infections are superimposed on one.

Incubation period of rotavirus infection

Incubation period   with rotavirus infection lasts from 12-15 hours to 15 days.

The period depends on the immunity of adults and children, health, associated diseases. The incubation period of rotavirus infection in adults subsides without complications, sometimes taken by patients for indigestion.

Rotavirus infection develops gradually. Stages of the disease:

1. From 1 to 2 days after infection, the virus may not appear, the period is hidden, accompanied by weakness, chills without fever, abdominal pain, rhinitis possible.
2. For 3 to 7 days, symptoms of the disease are preserved - vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration. Acute rotavirus incubation period requiring proper drinking regime, a strict diet of rice porridge, low-fat broths, berry decoctions.
3. The amendment takes 4 to 5 days, the patient continues to adhere to the diet, lean meat, fish, mashed potatoes, and vegetable soups are allowed. The diet persists after recovery for months.

Interestingly, the infectiousness of the patient before the onset of signs of rotavirus infection. The incubation period of rotavirus infection lasts from three days to one and a half to two weeks. Rotavirus may not appear, but the risk of infecting healthy people remains.

The incubation period of an intestinal infection characterizes the multiplication of the virus, an increase in the number of viral particles. By its end begins a breakdown, signs of dysbiosis - bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting.

The frequency of division of rotavirus depends on the age, condition of the body. Immunocompromised people are susceptible to infection. For them, the incubation period is noticeable due to poor health.

The duration of the incubation period of rotavirus infection in adults

By the end of 2-3 days the disease is detected by unpleasant symptoms, the incubation period in adults is up to 7-10 days. The patient continues to spread the virus, it can be dangerous to others.

The duration of the incubation period of rotavirus infection in children

The incubation period in children sometimes lasts up to fifteen days. In the first two or three days, the child feels well, except for a runny nose, taken as a symptom of respiratory illness.

At 4-5 days after infection, the child has symptoms:

• abdominal discomfort, vomiting;
• diarrhea with loose, pale stools;
• high temperature 39-40 ° C;
• loss of appetite, refusal to eat;
• weakness, anemia;
• muscle pain.

The incubation period for rotavirus infection in children is symptomatic. Vomiting and frustration continue for more than a week. Do not ignore the restoration of water-salt balance in the body of the child, providing plenty of drink.

Rotavirus infection signals are similar to other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The baby may have a hard time describing the nature of the pain, the indisposition. With the initial symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, make tests. The health worker will help you choose the right way of eating, drugs to reduce vomiting, diarrhea. With abundant loss of fluid in the body requires a dropper, stationary observation for several days.

Rotavirus fight

When treating rotavirus, remember: it is not destroyed by antibiotics that harm intestinal flu, eliminating non-pathogenic bacteria. Three principles of treatment of intestinal flu are distinguished:

1. The danger of rotavirus is dehydration - leading to damage to organs. It is necessary to fight it, provide the patient with a copious amount of liquid, purchase it at a pharmacy, or prepare a rehydration solution on its own.
2. To clean the body of toxins remaining in the body after rotavirus, follow a strict diet, at the beginning of the disease to refuse from dairy products and containing lactose. Rotavirus kills enzymes that break down lactose, dairy products exacerbate the symptoms of the disease. What diet should be followed, prompted by the patient. When you resume appetite, a person chooses the desired food. Avoid fat, salted, smoked, so as not to injure the affected vessels of the intestinal wall.
3. To restore the microflora of the affected intestine, it is possible to maintain normal with the help of probiotics and vitamins.

The rehabilitation period for rotavirus infection takes from a couple of weeks to a month and a half. The residual effects of intoxication are observed: drowsiness, fatigue, nausea.

Rotavirus intestinal infection causes noticeable harm to the infants digestive system. Breastfeeding increases the chances of quickly getting rid of unbearable symptoms of the disease.

After rotavirus infection can not visit public places, playgrounds, transport. Carefully disinfect living quarters, patient's belongings, toys, bed. There are cases when several people fall ill in a family, and after curing one re-infection occurs, if others have an incubation period not over.

Proven prevention of rotavirus in children and adults - personal hygiene, healthy lifestyle. After the transferred intestinal flu in the body is formed immunity to the virus (not a group of rotaviruses). Possible re-infection in mild form.