Rotavirus

Excerpt

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children younger than 5 years of age. In 1973, rotavirus was discovered from duodenal biopsies and fecal samples taken from humans with acute diarrhea. Despite the availability of a vaccine against rotavirus, it continues to result in more than 200,000 deaths worldwide per year. In developed countries with routine vaccination programs, rotavirus infection is less prevalent than in non-developed countries, where it continues to be a major cause of life-threatening diarrhea in infants and children younger than 5. Rotavirus symptoms include profuse diarrhea, vomiting, fever, malaise, and rarely neurologic features such as convulsions, encephalitis, or encephalopathy. The most common symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, leading to significant dehydration and reduced oral intake, which can necessitate hospitalization and lead to death if not treated.