Signs

Rotavirus infection occurs both in infants and young children, and adults, the symptoms of rotavirus infection are usually the same, regardless of age and differ only in degree of intensity. Rotavirus - the main cause intense diarrhea in young children annually because of rotavirus infection require urgent hospitalization in tens of thousands of cases. Moreover - according to statistics, six hundred thousand children die each year from complications of rotavirus infection.

Usually the first indication of rotavirus infection is the increase in body temperature, and then for 3-8 days, the patient suffers from diarrhea and vomiting. The infection also causes abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms . In adult humans, with generally good health, rotavirus infection may cause only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all cause.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection in children

Almost all infants and young children to achieve two or three years of age at least once faced with rotavirus.

In addition, the most common symptoms of rotavirus infection are considered frequent vomiting, fatigue, very high fever, sometimes as high as forty degrees Celsius. Because of these symptoms of rotavirus infection, diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration may occur. The main symptoms of dehydration - dry mouth, fatigue, irregular urination, thirst. In the most serious cases of dehydration caused by rotavirus infection may be fatal.

According to WHO, rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in children. Every year, because of rotavirus million children require hospitalization, and about 600,000 children die because of acute diarrhea and dehydration caused by it. Those who suffered rotavirus develop partial immunity - the probability of infection with rotavirus in the future is greatly reduced, and in the case of contracting the disease occurs in a milder form.

• Symptoms of the disease

The child, the infection rotavirus, usually becomes a very sluggish and sleepy or very irritable. If he cries, it is impossible to appease the usual way - for example, taking on the hands. It may squirm as when the stomach hurts, and poorly responsive to external stimuli. The fact that the baby wakes up more often than usual, can also be a sign of infection, if for no other reason to. Finally, increased body temperature may indicate not only the common cold, but also on rotavirus infection.

• Diarrhea and vomiting

Some time after the occurrence of the above symptoms occur the main symptoms of rotavirus infection in children - nausea and vomiting. They can be stored for up to eight days. If nausea and / or vomiting does not stop for a few hours, call for an ambulance. Although infection usually can be managed at home, severe cases require medical intervention. It is also necessary to call an ambulance if the feces or vomit blood is present. While you're waiting the arrival of the doctors, do not leave your child alone, and be sure to flip it on its side (lying on your back it can choke vomit).

• Dehydration

Since due to vomiting and diarrhea, the child's body quickly loses fluid, in the absence of medical care can occur from severe dehydration, which in some cases leads to death. On dehydration may indicate extreme listlessness, rare urination, crying without tears, drowsiness, dry mouth and dry skin Dry skin: care and treatment   lips. If there are such signs, the emergency medical care is a matter of life and death in the literal sense - pretty soon in the body can begin irreversible processes that will lead to serious complications or death.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection in adults

Rotavirus infection in adults is much rarer, but adults may also become infected with rotavirus - often due to contact with a child is contagious. Symptoms of rotavirus infection in adults is usually much less distinct as compared to the childhood disease.

Rotavirus infection can not be cured with antibiotics Antibiotics - whether they will help you in the foreseeable future?   - Specific medicines for the treatment of rotavirus infection does not exist. Usually symptoms of rotavirus infection disappear on their own after a certain period of time - from three to eight days.

When you need to see a doctor

To the doctor should contact the appearance of the following symptoms of rotavirus infection:

• Severe diarrhea, or the presence of blood in the feces;
• Frequent episodes of vomiting for one day or more;
• The body temperature of 39, and 4C above;
• The presence of blood with vomit;
• It has signs of dehydration - excessive thirst, dry mouth, decreased urination or lack thereof, weakness and dizziness.

Rotavirus and breast-feeding

It is believed that breastfeeding, in contrast to the infant feeding bottle, helps to protect the baby from certain diseases. Studies have shown that breast-feeding reduces the risk of pneumonia, meningitis Meningitis - an inflammation of the meninges , Urinary tract infection in the newborn. In addition, breast-feeding reduces the risk of rotavirus infection in infants and the emergence of the symptoms of the viral disease.

Breastfeeding not only reduces the chances of rotavirus infection, but also prevents intense diarrhea, one of the most dangerous consequences of rotavirus The effects of rotavirus infection - may be severe   in infants and young children. However, it must be remembered that, as the drugs are not always effective, and breastfeeding does not guarantee full protection against disease.

Infants who are breastfed are less susceptible to rotavirus gastroenteritis, than babies fed from a bottle. Antibodies neutralizing rotavirus found in breast milk. In addition, breastfeeding is often the only alternative to bottle-feeding in cases where a newborn baby was infected with rotavirus, refuses to supply. Finally, breast milk - a fluid warning dehydration in a newborn, one of the most dangerous effects of rotavirus infection in young children, in rare cases leading even to death. In fact, breastfeeding - it's the only guarantee that rotavirus infection in a newborn does not lead to dehydration of the child's body.

Research

The report of the study, during which it was made this discovery, concludes with recommendations for infants of mothers who were vaccinated against rotavirus, suspend breastfeeding, the vaccine could act as necessary.

The aim of the study was to answer the question - why children in developing countries usually respond to oral rotavirus vaccine is not as good as the children born in developed countries. The researchers concluded that breast milk is rich in essential for a strong immune system Immunity - types and characteristics in children in adults   substances such as immunoglobulin A (IgA), lactoferrin, lysozyme and others inhibit activity of the vaccine. And in developed countries it is now, as it is known, is becoming more common artificial feeding.

By itself, this fact looks frightening because rotavirus can be dangerous for the lives of newborns. The virus that attacks the intestines, the most common cause of severe diarrhea in young children; each year the disease kills about 600,000 children's lives. The name "rotavirus" (from the Latin rota - wheel) got the virus because of the characteristic shape - if you look at it through an electron microscope, you can see that it resembles a wheel. Before the age of three years, almost all children become infected with rotavirus, but in most cases this has serious consequences.

Many other studies have shown that breastfeeding effectively helps prevent rotavirus infection. The longer the period of breastfeeding, the longer it is possible to avoid contamination. Completely avoid it is unlikely to succeed, but the later it happens, there will be less chance of serious health problems, as the child's immune system will be stronger.

Studies conducted in Mexico and Brazil, have given very interesting results. Because of the vaccine against rotavirus number of deaths from diarrhea of ​​children in Mexico fell by 40%. In Brazil, among children who were fed breast milk were 90% fewer cases of diarrhea than children fed different mixtures. In children infected with rotavirus, despite breastfeeding, severe diarrhea, have been observed rarely.

At the same time, some health experts say that officials strongly supported the vaccination against rotavirus to the need to postpone the initiation of breastfeeding, make a profit from the sales of vaccines major pharmaceutical companies. The vaccine can create a sense of security, but if mother and baby are healthy, it is better to give preference to means of protection from infections created by the process of evolution by nature.

Breastfeeding as a means of prevention of rotavirus infection

Breastfeeding is a universal way to prevent rotavirus infection, which annually causes 125 million cases of acute diarrhea among children under five years. 106 million of these cases are recorded in developing countries. In one of Pakistan's acute diarrhea die each year from 100,000 to 150,000 children.

In third world countries the number of cases of diarrhea in young children is increased with the spread of the practice of artificial feeding. In developed countries, thanks to good sanitation and better health care this relationship is less pronounced, but it still exists. Diarrhea destroys the enterocytes - cells located on the intestinal wall, resulting in impaired absorption of nutrients. The first and most common symptom is diarrhea, vomiting; If untreated, six or seven days, death can occur, caused usually by dehydration.

In many cases, rotavirus infection is associated with a lack of clean drinking water, so in developed countries the chance of infection is quite low.