age group most affected by rotavirus
[2] All of which are most common in children 5 years and younger. The most dangerous part of the rotavirus infection is the possible dehydration. To be more specific vomiting for 2-3 days and diarrhea for 4-5 days can cause a great amount of water loss leading to a isotonic dehydration. A parent should know that the diarrhea does not have blood or mucus in it. The death of a child with acute diarrhea is usually due to dehydration. If the diarrhea lasts 14 days or more, it is persistent diarrhea. Up to 20% of episodes of diarrhea become persistent. Persistent diarrhea often causes nutritional problems, creating the risk of malnutrition and serious non-intestinal infection. - either because of lack of access to ORS and/or health facilities, - or because of incorrect case management (home or health facility). The remainder are accounted for by persistent diarrhoea (approximately 35%) and dysentery (approximately 15%). 1 Most unvaccinated children become infected with rotavirus by age 3. 2  There are different strains of rotavirus, and multiple infections by different strains may occur. 3  Rotavirus causes the following symptoms and signs: 4  Fever. 5  Vomiting. 6  Watery diarrhea. 7  Rotavirus infection is highly contagious. [4]Rotavirus is part of the reoviridae family, making it an RNA virus. The rotavirus has seven antigenic groups: A thru G. The most common antigenic group is A. Group A causes a great percentage of gastroenteritis in the U.S. and world wide especially in children. Rotavirus infection facts. 1  Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and children throughout the world. 2  Most unvaccinated children become infected with rotavirus by age 3. After several infections with different strains of the virus, children acquire immunity to rotavirus. Babies and toddlers between 6-24 months of age are at greatest risk for developing severe disease from rotavirus infection. Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions reduce diarrhoeal disease on average by between one-quarter and one-third. Approximately 4 billion cases of diarrhoea each year (2) cause 2.2 million deaths, mostly among children under the age of five (3). Amongst the poor and especially in developing countries, diarrhoea is a major killer. In 1998, diarrhoea was estimated to have killed 2.2 million people, most of whom were under 5 years of age (WHO, 2000). Local cases/outbreaks. There are 3.5 million cases of diarrhea caused by rotavirus and from these 50 thousand are hospitalized while there are 20 deaths in children under 5. The most common outbreaks occur in children 6 and 24 months old.[1] These outbreaks occur during the winter months for 4-5 months.
5 years.