Rotavirus is a common, highly contagious viral infection that can lead to diarrhea. The virus is most often spread through saliva or stool from an infected person who hasn’t washed their hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers. It’s also possible for adults and children older than six months old to become sick with rotavirus if they eat food that has been handled by someone who has been recently infected with the virus.
What is rotavirus?
Rotavirus is a virus that causes diarrhea. It’s more common in children than adults and more common in developing countries than developed ones. In addition to causing stomach flu, rotavirus can also cause severe dehydration and death if not treated immediately.
Rotavirus infection numbers
The number of people who are infected and die from rotavirus is relatively small, but it’s still worth noting. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were about 4 million cases of severe diarrhea caused by rotavirus in 2010—that’s about 0.1% of the global population at that time. In contrast, there were more than 1 billion hospitalizations due to bacterial infections during the same period: almost 20 times as many. Researchers believe this number has risen since then due to improved sanitation standards and reduced access to water sources—which could be why we’re seeing more cases worldwide now than ever before!
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How common is rotavirus?
Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in children, with an average of 3.5 million cases worldwide every year. It’s also the second most common cause of diarrhea in adults, with an average of 645,000 cases occurring each year.
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Rotavirus is also the third most common cause of diarrhea among older adults (65 or older), causing about 1% to 2% of all cases—although it accounts for up to 10% among some groups within this age bracket.
Does age play a role in the development of rotavirus?
The age at which children get rotavirus is important because it can affect the severity of their illness. Younger children are more likely to have a mild case and recover quickly, but older children are more likely to have a severe case and need hospitalization. Older children may also be at greater risk for bacterial infection from vomiting (which occurs in about 80% of cases) because they take longer to recover from symptoms.
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Are there other causes of diarrhea besides rotavirus?
While rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea and vomiting among infants, it’s not the only one. Other causes include:
- Travelers’ diarrhea (usually caused by bacteria or viruses). This can occur anywhere in the world, but travelers to developing countries may also be at risk for more severe symptoms that last longer than six days.
- Food poisoning (usually caused by bacteria). Food poisoning usually occurs when there’s an unsafe food source; however, this can also happen when someone handles food that was previously contaminated with harmful microbes without washing his or her hands properly afterwards.
You should know about the seriousness of rotavirus.
It’s important for you to know about the seriousness of rotavirus. Rotavirus is a very common cause of diarrhea in children, and it can be severe. There are many people who have never heard of it, but they should be aware that this disease is very real and potentially dangerous if not treated properly.
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In addition to hand washing and good hygiene practices (e.g., washing your hands before handling food or eating), there are some things you can do yourself at home to prevent getting this infection:
- Use an approved vaccine (if available) against rotavirus infection
- Avoid contaminated food or water
Conclusion
We hope you’ve learned a lot about the seriousness of rotavirus. It is a serious infection that can cause dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea in children. In some cases, it can lead to hospitalization or death if not treated appropriately. The best way to prevent this illness is by getting vaccinated as soon as possible after birth!
