Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRotavirus Infection: How to TellBenefits of VaccinationVaccination ScheduleTreatmentMinimizing TransmissionHydrating With Rotavirus

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Rotavirus Infection: How to Tell

Benefits of Vaccination

Vaccination Schedule

Treatment

Minimizing Transmission

Hydrating With Rotavirus

Rotavirus is an infection that causes loose, watery stools and other intestinal symptoms. It’s most common in infants and young children.

However, it can also affect older children, adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Rotavirus is highly contagious and easily transmitted among young children.

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An image of a woman with abdominal pain

A common symptom of rotavirus is severewatery diarrhea, which in some cases may be foul-smelling or green but not bloody.Other symptoms include:

Other symptoms include loss of appetite anddehydration, which is particularly dangerous for babies and young children.Signs of dehydration include:

Rotavirus vs. NorovirusBothrotavirus and noroviruscause acutegastroenteritis(stomach flu or stomach bug). Rotavirus spreads through thefecal-oral route, typically through person-to-person contact.It’s also possible to get infected from contaminated water, food, or surfaces.You can get infected withnoroviruswhen you eatraw oysters, other raw shellfish, or contaminated food or drinks. You can also pick it up from contaminated surfaces or direct contact with someone infected.Some key differences are:Rotavirus symptoms usually start within two days after exposure and last three to eight days. Norovirus symptoms start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last one to three days.Rotavirus is most likely to infect infants and young children. Norovirus affects people of all ages.Vaccines can prevent or lessen symptoms of rotavirus infection. There’s no vaccine to protect against norovirus infection.Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting, diarrhea, andfoodborne illnessin the United States.

Rotavirus vs. Norovirus

Bothrotavirus and noroviruscause acutegastroenteritis(stomach flu or stomach bug). Rotavirus spreads through thefecal-oral route, typically through person-to-person contact.It’s also possible to get infected from contaminated water, food, or surfaces.You can get infected withnoroviruswhen you eatraw oysters, other raw shellfish, or contaminated food or drinks. You can also pick it up from contaminated surfaces or direct contact with someone infected.Some key differences are:Rotavirus symptoms usually start within two days after exposure and last three to eight days. Norovirus symptoms start 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last one to three days.Rotavirus is most likely to infect infants and young children. Norovirus affects people of all ages.Vaccines can prevent or lessen symptoms of rotavirus infection. There’s no vaccine to protect against norovirus infection.Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting, diarrhea, andfoodborne illnessin the United States.

Bothrotavirus and noroviruscause acutegastroenteritis(stomach flu or stomach bug). Rotavirus spreads through thefecal-oral route, typically through person-to-person contact.It’s also possible to get infected from contaminated water, food, or surfaces.

You can get infected withnoroviruswhen you eatraw oysters, other raw shellfish, or contaminated food or drinks. You can also pick it up from contaminated surfaces or direct contact with someone infected.

Some key differences are:

Symptom Severity

Having the illness once doesn’t provide full immunity; you can get it multiple times. However, a child’s first infection tends to cause the most severe symptoms. The most severe cases tend to occur among unvaccinated children aged 3 months to 3 years old.

Without adequate fluid replacement, severe diarrhea and vomiting can cause dehydration and:

Adults who get rotavirus disease tend to have milder symptoms than children.Some adults may not get sick at all when exposed to the virus. This may be due to repeated exposures and antibody responses that protect against more severe diseases.

Before the vaccine, rotavirus was the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children in the United States. Just about every child experienced an infection before their 5th birthday, causing 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations and 20 to 60 deaths each year.Worldwide, rotavirus caused more than 500,000 deaths in children under age 5 each year.

The vaccine became available in the United States in 2006. Since then, there’s been a median decline of 80% in rotavirus-associated hospitalizations and 57% in emergency department visits.

Neither vaccination nor previous infection offers 100% protection against contracting rotavirus. However, vaccinated children are less likely to get sick from it. Almost all babies vaccinated are protected from severe diarrhea due to rotavirus.

Some infants with severe allergies or health conditions shouldn’t get the vaccine or should get it later.A healthcare provider can address concerns and make a recommendation based on your child’s health history.

There’s no cure or specific treatment for rotavirus infection, though you can treat symptoms, which usually resolve on their own with a little home care. It’s important to try to prevent dehydration.Antibioticsare drugs that fight bacteria, not viruses. They are ineffective against rotavirus and may even cause more diarrhea.

Home Management

Watch for signs of dehydration, the most dangerous complication of rotavirus. If your child is ill with rotavirus, here’s what you can do at home:

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Infants, older adults, pregnant people, and those with a weakened immune system or other serious health conditions should see a healthcare provider. Other reasons to seek medical attention are:

Infection Time

Symptoms typically start within two days of exposure and last three to eight days.A severe case can last two to three weeks.

Risk of Contagiousness

You can spread the virus before symptoms appear. But you’re most likely to spread it when you have symptoms or during the first three days after you recover.Treating symptoms doesn’t mean you’re not contagious.

How to Minimize Transmission

Rotavirus is shed in stools and spreads through close person-to-person contact. For example, you change asoiled diaper, then touch your mouth. It can also spread through contaminated objects and surfaces, such as toys or diaper pails. Some ways to avoid spreading the virus include:

Supportive care, including rehydration with fluids andelectrolytes, is usually all most adults need.

Be sure to drink plenty of liquids. For dehydration in children:

Your child may need anoral rehydration solutionto replace fluids and electrolytes.You can get them without a prescription in grocery and drugstores. Note that the correct amount may depend on your child’s weight. A pharmacist or other healthcare provider can answer your questions and concerns.

Severe dehydration may require hospitalization and treatment withintravenous (IV) fluids.

Summary

Rotavirus is a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection that causes watery stools, vomiting, and other symptoms. Although anyone can get it, rotavirus mainly affects infants and young children. The illness usually resolves with home care, such as rest and plenty of fluids. The main complication is dehydration.

There are vaccines to help prevent rotavirus. They don’t fully protect against infection, but vaccinated children are much less likely to get sick. And almost every vaccinated child has protection from severe, life-threatening diarrhea. Most infants should get their first dose of the oral vaccine before 15 weeks of age.

14 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.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently asked questions about rotavirus.Cedars-Sinai.Rotavirus infection in children.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).National Institutes of Health.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About norovirus.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of rotavirus.World Health Organization.Rotavirus infections. Symptoms.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/civ294Crawford S, Ramani S, Tate J. et al.Rotavirus infection.Nat Rev Dis Primers3, 17083 (2017). doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.83Pindyck T, Tate JE, Parashar UD.A decade of experience with rotavirus vaccination in the United States - vaccine uptake, effectiveness, and impact.Expert Rev Vaccines.2018 Jul;17(7):593-606. doi:10.1080/14760584.2018.1489724Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus VIS.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus vaccination.Nationwide Children’s.Rotavirus.

14 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.National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently asked questions about rotavirus.Cedars-Sinai.Rotavirus infection in children.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).National Institutes of Health.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About norovirus.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of rotavirus.World Health Organization.Rotavirus infections. Symptoms.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/civ294Crawford S, Ramani S, Tate J. et al.Rotavirus infection.Nat Rev Dis Primers3, 17083 (2017). doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.83Pindyck T, Tate JE, Parashar UD.A decade of experience with rotavirus vaccination in the United States - vaccine uptake, effectiveness, and impact.Expert Rev Vaccines.2018 Jul;17(7):593-606. doi:10.1080/14760584.2018.1489724Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus VIS.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus vaccination.Nationwide Children’s.Rotavirus.

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.

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently asked questions about rotavirus.Cedars-Sinai.Rotavirus infection in children.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).National Institutes of Health.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About norovirus.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of rotavirus.World Health Organization.Rotavirus infections. Symptoms.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/civ294Crawford S, Ramani S, Tate J. et al.Rotavirus infection.Nat Rev Dis Primers3, 17083 (2017). doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.83Pindyck T, Tate JE, Parashar UD.A decade of experience with rotavirus vaccination in the United States - vaccine uptake, effectiveness, and impact.Expert Rev Vaccines.2018 Jul;17(7):593-606. doi:10.1080/14760584.2018.1489724Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus VIS.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus vaccination.Nationwide Children’s.Rotavirus.

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Frequently asked questions about rotavirus.

Cedars-Sinai.Rotavirus infection in children.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About rotavirus.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).

National Institutes of Health.Viral gastroenteritis (“stomach flu”).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About norovirus.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical overview of rotavirus.

World Health Organization.Rotavirus infections. Symptoms.

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

Crawford S, Ramani S, Tate J. et al.Rotavirus infection.Nat Rev Dis Primers3, 17083 (2017). doi:10.1038/nrdp.2017.83

Pindyck T, Tate JE, Parashar UD.A decade of experience with rotavirus vaccination in the United States - vaccine uptake, effectiveness, and impact.Expert Rev Vaccines.2018 Jul;17(7):593-606. doi:10.1080/14760584.2018.1489724

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus VIS.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rotavirus vaccination.

Nationwide Children’s.Rotavirus.

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