Rotavirus Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Rotavirus?

Rotavirus is responsible for causing diarrhea in children and infants, around the globe. Not necessarily, it requires medical treatment and can be treated with self measures. To avoid its complications, dehydration, it is important to intake more and more fluid. Rarely, extreme dehydration needs intravenous fluids. In underdeveloped countries, a foremost reason of childhood deaths is dehydration.

Rotavirus is preventable, it vaccination can help your infant save the trauma of infection. Its symptoms may not be as worse in adults and older children, as compared to infants, however, healthy habits of hand washing can serve to defense against rotavirus.

What Are The Symptoms Of Rotavirus?

Often, rotavirus infections set off with vomiting and fever. These symptoms are followed by watery diarrhea that may continue for 3-7 days. In addition, abdominal pain can also be triggered by the infection. As mentioned earlier, the intensity of symptoms in adults is milder as compared to infants, at times; few adults may have no symptoms at all.

What Is Causes Of Rotavirus?

Clearly, rotavirus presents in the feces of an infected individual. The virus transmits by means of hand-to-mouth contact. More specifically, if your baby has the infection and after changing his or her diaper, you do not wash your hands properly, then this permits the virus to transmit to any object or thing you touch, such as utensils, food etc. In case an otherwise healthy individual contacted the contaminated item, touching his mouth then, the infection can follow.

Since, rotavirus has a number of types; possibilities of contracting it again tend to exist, despite being vaccinated against it. Though, symptoms of recurrent infections are mild.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Rotavirus?

As mentioned earlier, it is more common in children and infants. Besides, the risk is greatest in spring and winter.

What Are The Complications Of Rotavirus?

Specifically in infants, severe diarrhea can result in dehydration. If no prompt treatment is pursued, then dehydration can lead to a serious condition.

How Is Rotavirus Diagnosis?

Usually, rotavirus is detected on the basis of a physical exam and signs of the patient. Moreover, a sample of stool can be needed to confirm its diagnosis.

How Is Rotavirus Treatment?

The infection has no particular treatment. Antibiotics will not be a useful option for the illness. Often, rotavirus resolves after completing its due course of 3-7 days. However, the major concern is to avoid being dehydrated. During the course, it is important to take more fluids than usual, for preventing dehydration.

How Is Rotavirus Preventable?

Its vaccination and strict hand washing, after using the washroom may help prevent rotavirus to some level. However, these precautions do not guarantee its occurrence!

What Is The Prognosis Of Rotavirus?

Even though, there is no treatment for rotavirus, yet, it rarely causes any complication. Usually, it cures on its own, after completing its due course of a week or so.

 

By : Natural Health News