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Rotavirus
Related Subjects: |Rotavirus |Norovirus |Diarrhoea (Children) |Dehydration (Child) |Viral Gastroenteritis (Adults and Children)
💡 About Rotavirus
- 🌍 A major global cause of diarrhoeal illness in young children.
- 💀 Responsible for up to 10–20% of childhood deaths from severe dehydration in low-income countries.
- 🤒 Highly infectious, spreading via the faeco-oral route. Can also be transmitted through contaminated surfaces and respiratory droplets (coughs/sneezes).
- 🏥 Before the introduction of vaccines, rotavirus was a leading cause of hospital admissions for diarrhoea in the UK.
🧬 Aetiology & Pathophysiology
- Infects enterocytes of the small intestine.
- Destroys villous epithelial cells → loss of brush border enzymes (esp. lactase) and malabsorption.
- Produces a viral enterotoxin (NSP4) which increases chloride secretion → watery diarrhoea.
🤒 Clinical Features
- ❄️ Winter epidemics in temperate climates (hence called “winter diarrhoea”).
- 🕐 Incubation: 24–48 hours.
- 💩 Symptoms: profuse watery diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain.
- 🚱 Dehydration signs: reduced urine output, dry mouth/lips, sunken eyes, lethargy, irritability or drowsiness.
- ⚠️ Severe dehydration can be life-threatening in infants.
🔎 Differentials
- 🦠 Bacterial gastroenteritis – E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter.
- 🦠 Other viral gastroenteritis – Norovirus, Adenovirus.
🧪 Investigations
- Usually clinical diagnosis in community outbreaks.
- 💩 Stool ELISA or PCR can confirm rotavirus in hospital or public health settings.
💊 Management
- 💧 Supportive care:
- Oral rehydration solution (ORS) with glucose + electrolytes is the cornerstone of treatment.
- IV fluids if severe dehydration.
- Continue breastfeeding and regular feeds.
- 🥛 Temporary lactose intolerance may occur after villous damage. Some children may worsen with milk initially, but this improves with recovery.
- 🚫 Antibiotics are not effective (viral cause).
- 💉 Vaccination: In the UK, babies are offered oral rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix®) at 8 and 12 weeks of age. This has dramatically reduced admissions.
📚 References
| The content on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only to support exam preparation (e.g., MLA, MRCP, USMLE) and learning. This is NOT medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional guidance. It does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional, official guidelines (e.g., NICE, GMC, BNF), or supervised clinical practice. Always verify information with current, authoritative sources. Makindo and its contributors accept no liability for any reliance on this content, including errors, omissions, or any resulting harm, loss, or consequences. By using this site, you agree to these terms. |
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