Almost all kids have had a rotavirus infection by the time
they're 5 years old. Rotavirus is one of the most common causes
of diarrhea, and severe infection (rotavirus gastroenteritis) is
the leading cause of severe, dehydrating diarrhea in infants and
young children. Rotavirus infections are responsible for
approximately 3 million cases of diarrhea and 55,000
hospitalizations for diarrhea and dehydration in children under
5 years old each year in the United States. Although these
infections cause relatively few U.S. deaths, diarrhea caused by
rotavirus causes more than half a million deaths worldwide every
year. This is especially true in developing countries, where
nutrition and health care are not optimal. Signs and Symptoms
Kids with a rotavirus infection have fever, nausea, and
vomiting, often followed by abdominal cramps and frequent,
watery diarrhea. Kids may also have a cough and runny nose. As
with all viruses, though, some rotavirus infections cause few or
no symptoms, especially in adults. Sometime