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Table of Contents
Symptoms
Cause
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Rotavirus, a highly contagious virus, was the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis (stomach flu) among infants and children before vaccinations were introduced in 2006. Adults can also be infected with rotavirus, although they usually have milder symptoms.
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The infection often resolves on its own within a week, but the associated nausea and vomiting can cause dehydration. While you or your child are recovering from rotavirus infection, it is important to stay hydrated and to prevent the spread of infection with strategies such as handwashing.
The symptoms ofrotavirusinfection are similar for children and adults. Usually, adults tend to have milder versions of the illness. Generally, the infection lasts for approximately three to eight days, but it can take up to two weeks to regain your appetite and weight.
The effects of rotavirus infection can include:
Very young children may become fussy, sleepy, and lose their appetite without knowing how to express their discomfort. Older children will often complain of stomach upset.
You or your child may become very hungry or crave certain foods (like saltines) shortly after vomiting, but may be unable to hold food down without experiencing recurrent vomiting or diarrhea.
Some adults exposed to the virus do not develop any symptoms at all, but can still spread it to other people.
You or your child may still be contagious for several days after recovering from rotavirus infection.
Complications
Typically, a rotavirus infection lasts for only a few days. If it becomes prolonged, complications can occur, including:
While it is a rare complication, rotavirus-induced gastroenteritis can cause death.
The virus attacks the lining of the small intestine. Through a physiological process of osmosis, fluids and electrolytes flow into the digestive system, resulting in abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Why Rotavirus May Be Mild
Most children are exposed to the virus and develop rotavirus-induced stomach flu before the age of five. The illness results in long-lasting immunity in healthy children, and that is one of the reasons why adults typically do not always become sick when exposed to the virus.
Adults also do not usually experience severe effects of the infection. Adults weigh more than very young children, so the impact of the infection—loss of fluids, for example—is not as substantial to a healthy adult’s overall health as it is for a very young child. And adults tend to eat food in moderation when they have gastroenteritis, which decreases the symptoms and helps maintain proper nutrition.
Why Rotavirus Can Be Serious
Elderly adultsand those with a compromised immune system due to illness or chemotherapy can lose their immunity to the virus and are more susceptible to becoming very ill as a result of gastroenteritis.
You may encounter different strains of rotavirus that you are not immune to when you travel, which can cause you to become very sick.
In a healthy child or adult, gastroenteritis is diagnosed based on the clinical symptoms. If the effects of the infection are severe or persistent, your healthcare provider may order tests to rule out complications or other medical conditions.
Stool Sample
Typically, it is not necessary to identify the virus when you have mild gastroenteritis. However, the virus can be identified if it is not improving as expected or if there is a concern that you could have a different infection.
A stool sample can be used to determine which virus or bacteria is causing your infection. Your healthcare provider would instruct you about how to collect a sample, and it would be sent for a laboratory culture to see if an infectious organism grows.
How a Stool Culture Is Used
Blood Tests
If there is a concern that you or your child could be dehydrated or at risk of severe dehydration, your medical team may order blood tests that can identify whether you have an electrolyte or fluid deficiency. These problems, which are more common when young babes have a rotavirus infection, can occur due to diarrhea, vomiting, and lack of drinking and/or eating.
Diagnostic Testing
If you or your child have severe abdominal pain or persistent symptoms, your medical team may want to rule out other conditions, such asappendicitisorbowel obstruction. Diagnostic tests such as abdominal ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT), endoscopy or colonoscopy may be needed.
If you have rotavirus, you can generally manage your illness at home with a few simple strategies.
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Most people can manage rotavirus on their own, but in some cases, professional medical care is necessary.
Call your healthcare provider or get urgent medical attention if you or your child experience any of the following:
While rotavirus is prevalent in the environment, there are a few strategies you can use to avoid getting and spreading it. It is a good idea to follow these precautions even when you do not have rotavirus or any other infection.
Rotavirus has a three to four day incubation period, during which you could be contagious without knowing it. Most other types of gastroenteritis also have an incubation period that may last between one day and several weeks.
Strategies for preventing rotavirus include:
There is no rotavirus vaccine for adults, but healthy individuals who get the infection have a very low risk of severe illness.
A Word From Verywell
While rotavirus is considered a childhood disease, adults can get it more than once. There are several strains of the virus and you would not necessarily develop natural immunity to one strain after being infected with another.
The more concerning issue is that a healthy child or adult can spread the infection to a person who isnotas resilient. If possible, stay away from other people until you are better, especially those who are immunocompromised. Be mindful of shared objects and wash your hands before using them.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pacilli M, Cortese MM, Smith S, et al.Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Adults Due to Rotavirus Genotype G12P[8].Clin Infect Dis.2015;61(4):e20-5. doi:10.1093/cid/civ294Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently Asked Questions About Rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of Appendicitis.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pacilli M, Cortese MM, Smith S, et al.Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Adults Due to Rotavirus Genotype G12P[8].Clin Infect Dis.2015;61(4):e20-5. doi:10.1093/cid/civ294Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently Asked Questions About Rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of Appendicitis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Pacilli M, Cortese MM, Smith S, et al.Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Adults Due to Rotavirus Genotype G12P[8].Clin Infect Dis.2015;61(4):e20-5. doi:10.1093/cid/civ294Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently Asked Questions About Rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of Appendicitis.
Pacilli M, Cortese MM, Smith S, et al.Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Adults Due to Rotavirus Genotype G12P[8].Clin Infect Dis.2015;61(4):e20-5. doi:10.1093/cid/civ294
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently Asked Questions About Rotavirus.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of Appendicitis.
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