How is intestinal flu transmitted and ways to prevent rotavirus?

This disease is caused by pathogenic viruses that infect the human intestines. The acute form of the disease has characteristic features:

• Fever,
• Nausea,
• Vomit:
• Diarrhea,
• Heat.

After carrying out appropriate tests, the doctor diagnoses an intestinal infection caused by rotavirus. If epidemiological data are of a pronounced nature, quarantine is established.

The fight against rotovirus with therapeutic methods includes a certain sequence of treatment:

• Rehydration,
• Special diet
• Detoxification,
• Taking medications.

When a doctor diagnoses a rotavirus infection, it is difficult for him to say how long it lasts in children. It all depends on the state of his body and immune system.

The rotovirus that the child fell ill with belongs to a subgroup of viral diarrhea. Almost anyone can become infected, but children suffer from this disease much more often.

The child's body is very susceptible to this disease. It is difficult to say how long rotavirus infection lasts in children. It can continue and be repeated many times. Mostly, a large number of children get sick with intestinal flu when they are under two years of age.

When a baby is breastfed, he develops passive immunity that fights viruses. If feeding does not occur, even an infant can become ill with intestinal infections and rotavirus.

A relapse is possible six months after treatment of the disease. A child who is re-infected experiences the disease much more easily.

Symptoms of the disease

It is difficult to say exactly how many days the illness lasts. The illness usually lasts about a week. Full recovery may take ten days. Rotovirus is very dangerous for a child, especially immediately after birth. His immune system is still just gaining strength.

If your baby has diarrhea, constantly vomits and feels sick, you should see a doctor immediately. Treatment should be prescribed as soon as possible.

Characteristic signs of rotovirus disease are:

• lethargy,
• Drowsiness,
• Dry lips
• No saliva
• When the baby cries, there are no tears visible,
• The skin becomes dry and flabby,
• Very little urine.

All these symptoms require urgent consultation with a doctor. Every day without treatment can only worsen the situation and lead to serious consequences.

Intoxication of the infection can occur similar to the symptoms of ARVI:

• Stuffy nose,
• Runny nose,
• Slight cough
• Sometimes otitis media or conjunctivitis.
• Why does intestinal infection occur?

It is transmitted through contact with a sick person. If a child develops symptoms of the disease, he immediately becomes a carrier of the infection.

Rotovirus is especially dangerous on the fifth day after the onset of the disease. Dirty hands and toys that kids love to taste become the cause of the disease.

The cause of intestinal flu can be food that has been touched by a sick person. Unboiled water can also cause an intestinal infection, since chlorine is not able to kill a harmful virus.

What do we know about rotavirus - its features, routes of spread and risk groups

In the middle of the last century, doctors did not suspect the existence of rotavirus. Although the disease was diagnosed quite often, it was mistaken for a type of gastroenteritis. It was only at the end of the 80s that scientists were able to establish that the cause of the disease was a virus.

Despite the name, the pathogen has nothing to do with the influenza virus and similar pathologies, although the first signs of rotavirus infection and the acute course are similar to most of them.

The cause of the disease is usually rotavirus A. It accounts for almost 92% of all cases of infection. Every year, up to 26 million cases of illness are registered worldwide. For 3% of them, the disease ends in death. This happens especially often in developing countries.

The pathogenic microorganism affects both children and adults. At the same time, in children the disease is more pronounced and acute. Rotavirus is most often transmitted through the oral-fecal route through contact with a patient or his things. Airborne infection occurs somewhat less frequently.

Preschool children are more susceptible to the effects of rotavirus infection. Babies get sick less often because they are protected by the mother's passive immunity in the first months of life. Most often, pathology is diagnosed during the cold season, although isolated cases of infection are also recorded during other periods. Despite the apparent similarity of rotavirus infection with respiratory and intestinal ailments, the disease has its own distinctive features:

• high resistance of virus virions to sanitary influences and the ability to mutate;
• lightning-fast development;
• simultaneous damage to the respiratory tract and digestive tract;
• affinity for the mucous membrane of the small intestine;
• seasonality of rotavirus gastroenteritis;
• lack of effective treatment aimed at destroying the pathogen.

The characteristics of the disease allow us to speak about the uniqueness of rotavirus and its insidiousness. Disguising itself as other diseases, it is capable of misleading both the patient and the inexperienced doctor.

Symptoms

Approximately four days after exposure to rotavirus, the baby begins to develop rotavirus infection. This period may be different, it all depends on the individual state of the child’s body.

The infection can remain in the body for several days and not manifest itself in any way. It takes on an acute form a little later.

The development of intestinal infection can occur in several ways. In one case, the child appears:

• soreness,
• Dry cough,
• Runny nose.

In another variant, very characteristic symptoms appear:

• Diarrhea,
• Nausea,
• Gastroenteritis,
• Abdominal pain
• Lethargy.

Incubation period

When infection occurs, characteristic signs do not appear immediately. The infection can remain in the body for several days and not manifest itself in any way. It takes on an acute form a little later.

How long the incubation period can last, how long it will last, depends on the condition of the child’s body. Its maximum can reach five days. During this period, the virus actively multiplies. It is difficult to determine how many children are sick at this time. The children feel fine.

But days pass. The incubation period is ending. The child's temperature begins to rise, he becomes weaker, feels sick, and has diarrhea.

To prevent possible complications, such an infection must be treated immediately. You can strengthen the child’s nutrition, give him more vitamins.

Important! Parents may not notice the onset of the disease, since the symptoms of the disease will not manifest themselves. If a healthy baby came into contact with sick children in kindergarten, it is imperative to take preventive measures.

Treatment of intestinal disease

There is no specific treatment for this disease. All therapeutic methods have one goal, to eliminate the symptoms of infection.

In order for your baby to gain additional strength to fight infection, you need to follow a diet. The doctor prescribes special medications:

• Antispasmodics,
• Immunotropic drugs,
• Antipyretic.

To completely remove a large number of virus particles, you need to arrange for children to take antibiotics. The doctor who has diagnosed rotavirus infection prescribes antibacterial suppositories:

• Viferon,
• Lipfeorn.

The course of treatment and dosage depend on the age of the patient and can last five days.

Rehydration

To prevent dehydration, the baby should be provided with plenty of warm drinks. This will help maintain the desired fluid balance in the body and create normal working conditions.

First, the child is given one teaspoon, then the amount is increased. Specially prepared solutions have a positive effect:

• Humana,
• Regidron,
• Oralit,
• Chamomile decoction
• Boiled water,
• Rice water,
• Unsweetened compote made from dried fruits.

To remove toxins from the body and completely cleanse it, the baby is given:

• Activated carbon,
• Smecta.

To reduce the temperature you can use:

• Children's paracetamol,
• "Nurofen"
• "Cefekon" candles.

When there is a high temperature and convulsions, the baby can be wiped with a saline solution (one part salt to one part water).

For severe pain in the abdominal area, the child is given:

• No-shpu,
• Lacidophilus,
• Riobal.

During an intestinal infection, the child should be fed:

• Rice porridge,
• Mashed potatoes,
• Bananas,
• Baranki,
• Crackers.

Infants should be switched to lactose-free formulas. You should not give your baby:

• Dairy products,
• Sauces,
• Vegetables,
• Fatty foods
• Meat additives.

How to lower the temperature

The medications should be taken at intervals of two hours. This applies to suppositories and paracetamol tablets

When the temperature reaches 39 degrees, a child under three years of age is prescribed Tsefekon suppositories. Older children are prescribed paracetamol in the appropriate dosage.

Using candles is very convenient, as they can be placed on the baby when he is sleeping or awake.

But if the temperature does not drop and does not subside for a long time, children aged one year and above are prescribed paracetamol and a small quarter of analgin.

The medications should be taken at intervals of two hours. This applies to suppositories and paracetamol tablets. When taking other medications, the break should be 4 hours or more. The greatest positive effect for intestinal diseases is obtained by taking paracetamol.

To reduce the temperature, you can wipe your baby with a weak solution of vodka, but following certain rules. The child's body should be completely dried. Changes and free areas on the baby’s body are not allowed. After wiping, you need to put thin socks on your feet.

The wiping procedure can be carried out only half an hour later, after taking a tablet for fever, and if it has not begun to fall. When the temperature is high, it is forbidden to wrap the child.

Enterofuril helps to cope with gastrointestinal diseases accompanied by high fever. It should be taken morning and evening for five days. The dosage of the drug depends on the age of the patient. It will also help cope with prolonged diarrhea. Its analogue is Enterol.

No-spa will help relieve severe pain in the child’s abdomen. You need to drop one milligram of solution into your mouth, wash it all down with tea.

When the appetite is restored, so that the diarrhea disappears and the microflora is completely restored, doctors prescribe Bactisubtil to the child. A capsule dissolved in water should be drunk in the morning and evening, an hour before meals. The course of treatment lasts five days.

Frequently asked questions about rotavirus

Rotavirus remains a little-understood disease, so it's no surprise that people want to know more about it. Young mothers especially have a lot of questions. For example, at a doctor’s appointment they are often asked whether rotavirus can occur without diarrhea? This happens extremely rarely. Diarrhea is a constant companion of the disease.

Another, no less frequent question is: is there always a fever with rotavirus infection? In approximately half of the cases, the disease may occur without pronounced symptoms. If there is a temperature and it is not very high, there is no need to bring it down. This will help fight infection. Rotavirus becomes inactive at temperatures of 38 °C and above. And only if the thermometer readings are more than 39 °C, you should take an antipyretic.

High temperature helps fight rotavirus infection

Many people try to treat rotavirus with antibiotics. Is it worth doing? The answer is clear - no. There will be no benefit from taking them, since the nature of the disease is viral, not bacterial.

How to fight rotavirus? This is a very persistent infection. Conventional disinfectants cannot cope with it. For example, in the feces of a sick person, virions remain active for up to 7 months.

The pathogen can be neutralized by boiling the item for at least 3 minutes. But this method is not always suitable. What else does rotavirus kill? The most effective remedy that can destroy the pathogen is ethyl alcohol. With its help, you can reliably disinfect the patient’s room and belongings.

From the above, it becomes clear that rotavirus is not an ordinary microorganism. The pathology caused by it requires mandatory consultation with a doctor. If treated ineptly or untimely, the disease can lead to serious consequences.

Attention. The article is for reference only. Specialist consultation is required.

Additional information about rotavirus infection can be found in the video:

Many people wonder how rotavirus infection is transmitted. However, before answering this question, you should understand what it is, what the symptoms of the pathological condition are, and only then talk about how this disease spreads.

Complications

If intestinal flu is not treated correctly, adverse consequences may occur.

Dehydration occurs in the body. This can cause death. This cannot be allowed. The baby needs to be soldered urgently. At the hospital, the baby is given an IV.

The baby has an acetonemic state. Ketone bodies begin to accumulate in large quantities in the child’s body. They have a negative effect on his brain. This complication occurs due to a lack of carbohydrates consumed during the disease.

Convulsions caused by high temperature may occur. To prevent the appearance of a convulsive state, the baby’s body requires constant cooling, for which a saline solution is used. All areas of the body are thoroughly rubbed until the temperature drops.

Prevention of infection

It is very important to maintain hygiene. Be sure to wash your hands when you come from outside, before sitting down at the table, and so on.

Children should eat fresh foods that have been previously cooked.

The children's room should be constantly ventilated, there should be no stale air in it.

Rotavirus infection, or as it is also called intestinal or stomach flu, is an infectious disease characterized by gastroenteritis, signs of general intoxication and dehydration, as well as various respiratory manifestations. The infection can develop in people of all ages, but in adults it is not as severe. The causative agent of this disease is an RNA-containing rotavirus.

How the infection spreads

The main source of transmission of infection is a sick person, who mainly excretes viruses in feces. It can pose a danger to healthy people throughout the period of symptoms and for another 10 days after illness. You can become infected through contact with a sick person and his personal belongings. Also, the source of influenza can be unwashed vegetables, poorly prepared food products (usually dairy products due to the specifics of their production process). Rotovirus tolerates cold well and can survive in the refrigerator for a long time.

Another route of transmission of infection is airborne droplets. Because the stomach flu is an inflammation of the airways, coughing spreads viruses through the air. The most susceptible to the disease are people with weak immunity, located in crowded places (office, school, kindergarten).

Not everyone knows how many days the incubation period can last. The first signs of the disease may appear even on the 5th day after the virus enters the body. The disease lasts a week, after which the person develops immunity, during which re-infection is practically not observed. The exception is the initially weakened immune system in adults and children.

What happens in the body after infection?

Rotavirus is a member of the large family Reoviridae.
Its distinctive features are double-stranded RNA and the presence of 11 fragments surrounded by a three-layer protein shell. This capsid is so durable that rotavirus can withstand freezing for several months without problems. But it does not tolerate high temperatures well - it quickly collapses in a few minutes when boiled.

This explains outbreaks of epidemics in the cold season: late autumn, early spring and winter. In summer they are detected extremely rarely and mainly in crowded places. You can become infected when visiting a beach, cafe, or amusement park. Everything happens in a matter of seconds: as soon as one pathogen of rotavirus infection gets on the mucous membranes of the mouth, it begins to rapidly advance to the small intestine.

The fastest and most “reliable” way of transmitting rotaviruses is through nutrition. After their penetration into the intestines, after a few hours they are found in large quantities in the feces.

If a sick person does not wash their hands after using the toilet, they pose a threat to others. An infected person leaves rotaviruses on all surfaces they touch. The smallest particles of feces contain enough viruses to infect all family members.

In medicine, there are other transmission routes:

1. Domestic. All parents of preschoolers and older children are well aware: as soon as an infected child appears in a group, a few hours later almost everyone will be infected. Rotaviruses quickly penetrate into the child’s body through saliva;
2. Airborne. In this case, saliva also becomes the source. An infected person releases it into the environment when coughing or sneezing. As soon as it gets on the face of a person standing next to him, after 2-3 hours the viruses are already actively multiplying in his intestines.

We can conclude that it is impossible to reliably protect yourself and your child from rotaviruses. One contact with an infected person in transport or a cafe is enough for the disease to manifest characteristic symptoms by the evening.

During rotavirus infection, there is a standard cycle of virion replication in the human body. The pathogen multiplies in the epithelial cells of the upper intestines, which die in large numbers. They are replaced “urgently” by immature epithelium, which cannot absorb water. The result is loss of fluid and electrolytes.

After an infection, intestinal recovery usually ends by 5–8 weeks, except for secondary dysbiosis, which must be corrected. As for the various variants of the course and classification, there are two forms of the disease - typical and atypical:

• the typical form is gastroenteritis with all the classic symptoms, which will be discussed in detail below”; it can occur in mild, moderate or severe form;
• the atypical form is the most dangerous in epidemic terms, especially in adults.

There may be a mild course (in which there is an episode of loose stools during the day) or completely asymptomatic, in which the virus multiplies in the intestines without causing diarrhea. This has been proven by studies during outbreaks of infection, when healthy contacts not only isolated viruses in the feces, but also recorded a significant immune response.

Clinical manifestations of intestinal flu

On average, the incubation period of rotavirus infection lasts from 1 to 3 days.

Acute symptoms disappear on the 5th day. The recovery period for the body after illness is about 1 week. This way you can understand how long rotavirus infection lasts.

When microorganisms enter the mucous membrane of the small intestine, they begin to actively develop; during this period the disease does not make itself felt. When the virus has invaded healthy cells and infected them, the body reacts, which is characterized by violent, acute manifestations.

1. Vomiting is the first sign of gastroenteritis. It can be either one-time, two times a day, or have frequent urges (up to 12 times). It can last up to several days. After the vomiting stops, we can say that the initial period of the acute course is over. In adults, vomiting is a rare symptom.
2. Loose stools are repeated many times and may accompany vomiting, but continue for more days. Attacks of diarrhea can be imperative in nature, in which a person is unable to restrain himself. Feces may have a foamy consistency and a greenish tint with a pungent clay odor. Sometimes mucus may be present. In adults, diarrhea is less liquid and frequent than in children.
3. Pain in the upper abdomen can accompany diarrhea or occur independently. The pain is moderate, rarely intense or cramping.

In the first days, you should not try to restrain vomiting and diarrhea, since at the same time the body is freed from viruses.

Symptoms of a digestive tract disorder may last from 3 to 6 days. As a rule, sick people experience a runny nose, sore throat, and fever.

In addition to specific symptoms, the disease is characterized by general signs of intoxication:

• Weakness;
• Headache;
• Chills;
• Muscle pain.

In more severe cases, dehydration develops, which can be very dangerous for the child's body. In adults, dehydration is not observed. Parents should pay attention to the following manifestations in children:

• Drowsiness and lethargy;
• Crying without tears;
• Lack of saliva and refusal to eat;
• Prolonged periods without urination
• Flabby dry skin.

If severe dehydration occurs, you should try to replenish the body with fluid, often asking the child to drink; if this cannot be done, seek medical help immediately.

How many days is a person contagious?

The incubation period of the disease after infection lasts from 12 hours to 7 days. Therefore, even in an infected person, the disease manifests itself after a certain period, until which he is at first a healthy carrier of the virus, and only after some time becomes ill.

A sick person is the main source of infection, since throughout the entire period of the disease and at least another 10 days after apparent recovery, the pathogen is contained in his secretions. The disease manifests itself very acutely with a sudden increase in temperature to 38-39 degrees, general weakness of the body, accompanied by chills. Suddenly, often at night, when the body is relaxed, a sharp pain in the abdomen occurs, the urge to nausea and loose stools replace each other throughout the day. Exhausted by these consequences, the human body weakens, and appetite disappears due to increased temperature.

Before the main stage of the disease, in some cases there may be a runny nose and sore throat with a sore throat that causes a cough. Thus, stomach flu exhibits most of the symptoms of regular flu, which is why it gets its name.

You can find out for sure whether a person is sick with rotavirus infection by passing a special test. But an experienced doctor can make such a diagnosis even on the basis of general symptoms and complaints that are typical for people suffering from intestinal flu.

At the moment, there is no specific cure for this virus, so the main efforts should be directed towards avoiding complications and alleviating the course of the disease. The main thing is to replenish fluid losses through rehydration and detoxify the body as much as possible. To do this, the patient needs to drink water regularly and it is not recommended to take medications for indigestion at an early stage of the disease, as they will only slow down the removal of toxins from the body.

In addition to water, the patient can eat regular food, but should avoid any dairy products, as they will only worsen the infection.

For mild cases of rotavirus infection in adults with mild symptoms, treatment is usually not carried out or ends with simple abstinence from heavy food.

A gentle diet is a fundamental factor in determining how severe the disease will be, because the virus causes a temporary inability in the stomach to digest foods containing lactose. And the severity of the diarrhea that they provoke will depend on the amount of dairy products eaten.

Water should be in the foreground for the patient, and only secondarily can you eat healthy foods: meat broths, boiled vegetables, fresh fruits.

The duration of the disease is influenced by many factors, such as the age of the sick person, his state of health and the presence of chronic diseases that can worsen under the influence of infection. This flu is most severely suffered by infants under one year of age and elderly people suffering from chronic diseases of the renal, cardiovascular and digestive systems.

Rotavirus affects 9 out of 10 children over 5 years of age.

The first infection, as a rule, occurs in infants when their immune system is developing. The second time a child becomes infected is usually in a preschool institution.

Therapy for rotavirus infection

Rotavirus infection does not require specific treatment. The body itself will be able to cope with this pathology within 5-7 days. The main goal of therapy in this case is to try to relieve symptoms, support the body and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract after stressful situations.

To prevent dehydration during an infectious disease, you need to drink as much water as possible, about 2 liters per day. In order not to provoke vomiting by drinking too much, you need to give the patient 1 spoon every 5 minutes. If signs of dehydration have made themselves felt, solutions prepared on the basis of drugs such as Regidron or Citroglucosalan will help normalize the body’s electrolyte balance.

To reduce intoxication, sorbents are prescribed - activated carbon, Enterosgel, Sorbex.

Body temperature can be reduced by taking antipyretics. However, you need to take medications when the thermometer is 38 degrees or higher. Rotovirus dies at this temperature; if it is brought down at low levels, an environment will be created for its normal further reproduction).

If you have severe pain in the abdomen, you can take 1 tablet of no-shpa, as a rule, this is enough for the pain to go away.

To normalize the intestinal microflora, the patient is prescribed medications that contain enzymes (Linex). You should also adhere to a light diet based on chemical, thermal and mechanical sparing. Restorative therapy is carried out over 2-3 weeks.

You need to know that rotavirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics; lipoferons, which have an antiviral effect, can be prescribed.

After a short amount of time after the infection, the body recovers completely; the rotavirus does not become chronic.

If treatment for intestinal flu begins in a timely manner, then in the near future you can expect a positive result and the disease will pass in the shortest possible time. If the infection starts, there is a risk of developing various complications.

Qualified approach to treatment

Do adults get “stomach flu”? What are the symptoms of rotavirus infection in adults? How to treat it?

Rotavirus infection affects every child aged 6 months to 5 years. But this disease does not belong to the category of children.

• Firstly, there are three types of viruses that provoke it.
• Secondly, one episode of illness in this case does not mean stable lifelong immunity. “Intestinal flu,” also popularly called rotavirus infection, can also affect adults, although they tolerate it more easily than children. Moreover, due to the similarity of symptoms, they often confuse this disease with an upset stomach or a common ARVI.

The incubation period of “intestinal flu” is the time period from the moment rotavirus enters the body of an adult until the first symptoms of the disease appear. During this period, the pathogenic agent is transported to the target organ (in this case, the mucous membrane of the small intestine), invades its cells and infects them. The incubation period of rotavirus infection in adults is up to 2 weeks.

IMPORTANT: From the moment of infection with rotavirus to the rise in temperature or the first episode of diarrhea in adults, 2–5, less often 15 days pass.

Rotavirus infection in adults is a disease that is characterized by a bright start. Suddenly, several symptoms appear at once. She has harbingers:

• slight malaise
• headache
• prostration
• decreased ability to work
• loss of appetite

They appear during the so-called prodromal period, a short time gap between the incubation period of the “stomach flu” and the disease itself.

During the prodromal period, a patient with “stomach flu” may experience a headache and general malaise.

IMPORTANT: If the patient himself or the doctor could recognize rotavirus from the listed symptoms even in the prodromal period, treatment would be started immediately, the disease would be mild, and recovery would come quickly. But since the prodromal symptoms of many diseases are very similar, “intestinal flu” is extremely rarely diagnosed before the characteristic clinical picture appears.

Symptoms of rotavirus gastroenteritis in adults are divided into three large groups:

1. Intestinal syndrome. First, the patient begins to have diarrhea. There are from 3 to 9 episodes per day. The stool is watery, first yellow, then sallow in color. Secondly, the patient feels nauseous. He may vomit several times a day, and in severe cases, after every meal or water. Against the background of the first two symptoms, the patient experiences pain in the epigastric region.
2. General intoxication. The consequence of the presence of rotavirus in the body of an adult is an increase in temperature, most often to 38 degrees, sometimes slightly more. The patient is chilling, his head, muscles, and joints hurt. He feels a loss of strength.
3. Respiratory syndrome. Its symptoms are not obligatory, and in some patients they do not appear at all. If respiratory syndrome occurs, it can occur either during the prodromal period, or simultaneously with intestinal symptoms, or after them. The patient's throat turns red, itchy and sore, and the mucous membranes swell. A runny nose and cough may appear. There is an increase in cervical lymph nodes. The tongue is covered with a white coating.

IMPORTANT: Usually, adults tolerate temperatures up to 38 - 38.5 degrees well. You need to try not to knock her down. The fact is that at this temperature the body fights rotavirus and creates unfavorable conditions for it. By the third day of illness, as the virus titer decreases, the temperature will begin to drop on its own.

The appearance of these symptoms is a reason to immediately consult a doctor:

1. Rotavirus can cause dehydration. It is absolutely impossible to ignore its symptoms or try to endure the disease on your feet.
2. Rotavirus is often confused with other intestinal infections, including bacterial ones, such as salmonellosis. Only a doctor, based on the tests, will be able to make the correct diagnosis and adequately treat the patient.

Rotavirus can only be contracted from humans through the fecal-oral route through dirty hands and objects. If an adult or child develops symptoms of intestinal flu, they are immediately isolated from healthy family members. But such a measure, alas, often does not protect, because a person becomes infectious during the incubation period, from the moment the rotavirus enters his body.

An adult remains contagious throughout the illness, and sometimes up to 30 days after its symptoms disappear.

Children of primary and preschool age with “intestinal flu” are often hospitalized. Unfortunately, this insidious disease still claims the lives of children.

Adults usually experience it repeatedly and much more easily; only extreme cases require hospitalization; they are treated at home.

Despite the fact that the causative agent of intestinal influenza is a virus, antiviral therapy is extremely rare. As part of treatment, measures are taken to:

• avoiding dehydration
• removal of intoxication
• lower the temperature if necessary
• eliminating other symptoms of the disease

To prevent diarrhea, vomiting and fever for several days from leading to dehydration, it is recommended that adults drink more water, often and little by little, and also take an oral rehydration solution:

• Regidron
• Glucosolan
• Hydrovit, others

IMPORTANT: If rotavirus with diarrhea is taken by surprise, there are no rehydration products from the pharmacy at home, you can prepare a medicine for dehydration according to this recipe: dissolve 4 tbsp in 1 liter of boiled water. spoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Water with sugar, soda and salt will help prevent dehydration due to rotavirus in adults.

The following drugs relieve intoxication of the body and help normal intestinal function:

• Smecta
• Enterosgel
• Polysorb
• Activated carbon
• White coal
• Liferan, others

IMPORTANT: A popular way to detoxify the body from rotavirus is to take plantain seeds. 1 teaspoon of plant material is poured into 500 ml of water and simmered over low heat for 10 minutes. When the broth has cooled, it is filtered and consumed in two doses.

The temperature with rotavirus in adults can be brought down:

• Paracetamol
• Ibuprofen
• Aspirin
• Analgin
• Nimesilom, other

IMPORTANT: If the temperature of a patient with “intestinal flu” has risen above 38.5 degrees, you can try to bring it down the traditional way: dilute water in half with vodka or vinegar, soak a towel in the solution and wipe the patient with it.

Against the background of rotavirus, the titer of beneficial bacteria in the patient’s intestines decreases. The doctor may prescribe probiotics:

• Lactofiltrum
• Linex
• Bifidum
• Bifidumbacterin

IMPORTANT: Discomfort in the intestines caused by the disease is reduced with a decoction of dill seeds. 4 teaspoons of seeds are poured into 250 ml of boiling water, wrapped and left to steep for 2-3 hours. The prepared broth is drunk in small portions every 2 hours.

If “stomach flu” in adults is treated adequately and on time, it rarely becomes complicated. Self-medication or ignoring the disease, especially in people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses, is fraught with:

• dehydration of the body, leading to disruption of all body systems
• cardiovascular, renal, multiorgan failure
• dysbacteriosis
• the addition of a bacterial intestinal infection

IMPORTANT: The lethality of rotavirus in adults is up to 2%.

An adult patient with rotavirus gastroenteritis is prescribed therapeutic nutrition. Exclude from the diet:

• dairy
• fried, fatty, spicy foods
• spices and seasonings
• fast food and snacks
• coffee, carbonated drinks
• legumes
• baked goods
• sweets
• fresh fruits and vegetables

During the first days of illness, do not fast. The patient should receive food in fractions in the form of:

• rice porridge on water
• semolina porridge on water
• boiled lean meat
• dried fruit compote
• low-fat fermented milk products

Rice porridge with water without oil is a dish for rotavirus.

For another 2-4 weeks after the symptoms of “intestinal flu” disappear, the patient should be on therapeutic diet No. 1, indicated for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Due to the high prevalence of infection and the lack of an effective antiviral drug, nonspecific prevention of rotavirus in adults is difficult. To avoid contracting the “stomach flu”, you should:

1. Adhere to the rules of personal hygiene. After visiting the toilet, being in public places, upon returning from the street, you should wash your hands before eating. Food products must be washed and thermally processed according to technology. Boil water.
2. Isolate a family member with rotavirus gastroenteritis.
3. Strengthen your immune system in every possible way.
4. If necessary, take probiotics: Linex, Acipol, Lactiale.
5. Consume fermented milk products: yogurt, kefir, narine, others.

Children aged 6 months to 2 years are vaccinated against rotavirus. It is in them that the disease “intestinal flu” has the most dangerous consequences, including death. Only children are vaccinated against rotavirus.

You can read about existing vaccines and the features of vaccination against rotavirus infection in children in the article “Rotavirus intestinal infection in children and infants: signs, symptoms, treatment, prevention, vaccination.

How many days is rotavirus infection contagious for children upon contact with a sick person?” Vaccination against rotavirus infection for adults is considered inappropriate.

However, timely vaccination of a child can significantly reduce the risk of contracting this disease to adult family members.

How to treat rotavirus infection? It's better to ask your doctor about this. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. This approach to fighting infection can cause serious complications. The consequences of rotavirus infection in this case are difficult to correct.

Symptoms and treatment in adults have a close relationship with each other. Please note that no specific therapy has been developed for this case. Antiviral drugs are not used for rotavirus infection. The main efforts are aimed at combating dehydration. For this, the patient is prescribed rehydration drug therapy.

Another important point in the fight against the disease is diet for rotavirus infection. The patient is advised to stop eating dairy products during treatment.

What can you eat if you have gastroenteritis? Steamed vegetables and meat, cereals and baked goods in small quantities. It is not recommended to eat green fruits and raw vegetables. This can cause complications in the gastrointestinal tract.

Preventive measures

In order to protect yourself and your family from possible infection, you need to take the following measures:

1. Keep your hands and products clean. Infection often occurs through drinking contaminated tap water. Prevention in this case is to boil water before drinking. After visiting the toilet or outside, before eating, you need to wash your hands well with soap. After washing fruits with plain water, it is advisable to pour boiling water over them. Particular attention should be given to young children. Toys, pacifiers, bottles should be kept clean and periodically doused with boiling water.
2. Vaccination of the population. Preventive antiviral vaccination is carried out only in European countries and the USA; the Rotacrix vaccine is officially registered in our country. It is recommended that the vaccine be given to children between 6 and 24 weeks of age. For the full course, the procedure must be repeated after 1 month. Vaccination provides 80% protection against rotavirus infection and 100% protection against its complications.
3. Isolation of patients. If a person gets sick, he should be isolated from the source of inflammation for 10-15 days. When there are many cases of illness among children, quarantine is introduced in kindergartens and educational institutions. At the slightest manifestation of the disease in adults, it is better to stay home to prevent a mass epidemic.
4. Development of immunity. In the body of a person who has had an infection, special antibodies are formed that persist for 1-2 years. These antibodies protect the body from repeated cases of illness caused by a specific serotype of the virus. This protection does not provide a 100% guarantee. After 1 year, you can get sick with the same serotype of rotavirus infection. But, if infection occurs twice, then more stable immunity is developed for 2-3 years.

Rotavirus infection is a very unpleasant disease. However, with timely treatment, his prognosis is very favorable and recovery will not take long.

Rotavirus, or rotavirus gastroenteritis, is quite widespread in the external environment, and children under the age of two are most often affected by this disease. Moreover, this happens in almost all countries of the world, regardless of the standard of living in them. Although the mortality rate from this disease in developed and developing countries is very different. 90% of children over 4 years old have antibodies to this virus, which indicates its widespread distribution. This pathogen was first discovered not so long ago, in 1973. This was done by scientists from Australia.

Adults can also get this disease, but in them it occurs in a milder form (with the exception of severely weakened patients and the elderly) and with milder symptoms.

The widespread distribution of this infection suggests that the disease is highly contagious. That is, in a team or family where one person is sick, there will certainly be more sick people. This is transmitted both through dirty hands and through food (especially dairy products). It’s not for nothing that this disease is called the disease of dirty hands.

The incubation period of rotavirus infection means that pathogenic microorganisms multiply and accumulate in the body during this period. There are no symptoms at this time. The duration of this period will depend on many reasons - on the amount of pathogen that has entered the body, on the state of the patient’s immunity, on the presence of concomitant diseases. On average, this period lasts 2-3 days.

The disease begins acutely. The patient has the following symptoms:

• temperature increase;
• repeated vomiting;
• watery stool without blood;
• pain and rumbling in the stomach;
• weakness.

In addition to manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract, the patient also exhibits catarrhal symptoms - runny nose, cough, sore throat. These symptoms characterize rotavirus infection in children. In adults, its manifestations will be similar to indigestion.

These symptoms are also typical for other, more serious illnesses (for example, dysentery and salmonellosis), so if you have such symptoms, especially in young children, you should immediately call a doctor.

Methods of infection

The source of rotavirus infection is an infected or sick person, including during the incubation period. Particularly dangerous are those people whose disease passes without specific symptoms, but they are able to release the pathogen into the environment. The medical literature describes several routes of transmission of rotavirus.

The influenza virus is most often transmitted by unwashed hands or contaminated food. This method is otherwise called fecal-oral. It consists of three stages:

• non-compliance with personal hygiene rules - ignoring hand washing after using the toilet;
• shaking hands, preparing food and serving it to the table;
• entry of the virus into the body of a healthy person.

This route of transmission contributes to the emergence of mass incidence of rotavirus infection.

During the incubation period, a person may not be aware that they are spreading viruses into the environment and are potentially dangerous to other people.

It is found in kindergartens and schools, less often in hospitals.

The fact is that kids study the world by testing each object by heart, and various pathogenic microflora, including rotavirus, accumulate on them.

If one infectious child, during the incubation period of the disease and in the absence of symptoms, “tasted” the item, the rest followed suit, and eventually the entire group was quarantined.

Here the opinions of experts differ. Some say that this virus cannot be transmitted by airborne droplets. Others are convinced that outbreaks of rotavirus are caused by this very method of transmission and that the accompanying symptoms in the form of cough, runny nose and fever, like the flu, are explained by this.

It occurs differently in children and adults. On average, its duration is 1–7 days; in children, the indicated periods increase.

It is generally accepted to divide the incubation period of rotavirus into three stages: penetration, reproduction and spread. The first is the passage of the infection through the natural barriers of the stomach, introducing it into the intestinal tissue.

The second stage of the incubation period lasts about five days. Here, the rotavirus actively divides by parasitizing and introducing its gene into the DNA of the infected cell, gradually accumulates, and then spreads beyond its boundaries.

The third stage of the incubation period speaks for itself - rotavirus infection spreads to other tissue areas and other groups. Then the incubation period ends and specific symptoms develop.

At all stages of the incubation period of intestinal influenza, certain pathophysiological changes are recorded. On the human side, protective forces, cellular and humoral agents are activated: T- and B-lymphocytes are attracted, antibodies to rotavirus are gradually produced, and inflammatory mediators are released from damaged tissues.

In children, due to the unstable functioning of the immune system, intestinal flu is severe. The clinical picture that develops after the incubation period consists of the following signs:

• abdominal pain (in the epigastrium, on the side);
• nausea;
• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• increase in body temperature to 38–39 °C;
• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• runny nose and other catarrhal phenomena.

In adult patients with adequate immune defense of the body, the symptoms are not so pronounced. Nausea, diarrhea, and loss of appetite may occur, but the ability to work is slightly impaired.

The duration of the pathology, including all stages of the incubation period, is no more than 14 days. After recovery, the person is not dangerous to others. However, if any complications develop, for example, dehydration, the timing may shift to one month.

With rotavirus infection, immunity to a specific strain is formed, that is, if another subtype enters the body, the symptoms may return. After the patient has suffered from the disease, antibodies circulate in the blood for six months. After this, a person can again become ill with the same type of virus.

In the absence of timely diagnosis and adequate treatment, there is a high risk of developing negative consequences. Their list includes:

• severe dehydration up to hypovolemic shock;
• water-electrolyte imbalance with convulsive syndrome;
• addition of a secondary bacterial infection.

Much less common are complications caused by rotavirus, such as neurotoxicosis, renal failure, and ketotic hypoglycemia.

Treatment

During the incubation period, therapy is not carried out, since the person does not present any complaints, which means it is impossible to determine the presence of the disease itself. Taking medications and following a diet is required for severe symptoms.

The main goal of treatment is to prevent hypovolemic shock and water-electrolyte imbalance. The following drugs are used for this:

• Regidron,
• Trisol,
• Disol,
• Ringer's solution,
• Lactasol,
• Acesol.

The dosage, method of administration and duration of therapy are selected individually, taking into account the course of the disease and the severity of vomiting or diarrhea.

Since children's body temperature rises sharply after the incubation period, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is required. The most popular and safe among antipyretics are Paracetamol and Ibuprofen.

Representatives of NSAIDs do not fight rotavirus intestinal infection, but only eliminate symptoms and improve well-being.

Nutrition differs during treatment and after illness. On the first day of pathology after the end of the incubation period, it is undesirable to eat. An irritated stomach and intestines can react negatively to any food, resulting in increased vomiting and pain.

In the following days, boiled vegetables in the form of puree or soup, steamed fish, dried fruit compote or jelly are gradually introduced. Milk, fresh fruits, juices, smoked, fried, fatty, canned are strictly prohibited when infected with rotavirus.

After illness, doctors allow you to expand your diet. It is recommended to eat fermented milk products little by little in order to restore the natural microflora, add steamed lean meat, cereals, and weak tea.

Digestion Aid

After rotavirus, dyspepsia may occur: nausea, weakness, decreased appetite and abdominal discomfort. To improve the processing and absorption of nutrients, it is recommended to restore the intestinal microflora with probiotics (Linex, Bifidumbacterin) and increase the number of active enzymes by using Pancreatin or Creon.

At the moment, none of the proposed drugs has proven fully effective in the fight against rotavirus infection. Experts are inclined to believe that the medicinal effect of these medications is minimal; your own immunity is much stronger than any similar pill.

The basis for preventing rotavirus infection is compliance with basic hygiene rules: washing hands after using the toilet and before eating, regular cleaning of premises and disinfection of toys in children's institutions.

During an epidemic, there is no need to come into contact with sick and contagious people. If you suspect your child has the disease, you should not take him to kindergarten or school and spread the rotavirus infection further.

To protect your own body, you need to take care of strengthening your immune system, pay attention to your diet, and enrich it with fresh vegetables and fruits. If necessary, you can take multivitamin complexes.

Conclusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sk7Q5NM0vg

Rotavirus has a rather long incubation period and in the early stages practically does not give any specific symptoms. Because of this, diagnosis is difficult and it is difficult to prevent the further spread of infection. By following the rules of personal hygiene, you can reduce the risk of developing the disease several times.

Practitioner. She graduated with honors from Vitebsk State Medical University in 2012 with a degree in general medicine. She was awarded a certificate of honor for her achievements in her work.

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