News Release

Rotavirus Infection Strong in Clinton

This year has been the worst year for the rotovirus infection, also known as the stomach flu. Mercy Medical Center-Clinton is currently admitting 5-6 children with Rotavirus a day. They are typically toddler and preschool age children. Please read the following information carefully to help prevent your child from rotavirus.

Anyone can get rotavirus but it most often infects infants and young children, and in children ages 6 months to 24 months of age. By age 3 years, most individuals have had rotavirus and have antibodies to protect them from the virus. Immunocompromised individuals are at particular risk for prolonged rotavirus antigen excretion and intermittent rotavirus diarrhea. Diarrhea is uncommon in infected infants less than 3 months of age.

How do you get Rotavirus?

Most human infections result from contact with an infected person’s stools by the fecal-oral route. It is present in the stools before the start of diarrhea, and can persist for as long as 10 days after the start of symptoms. Rotavirus can be found on toys and hard surfaces in child care centers, indicating that objects may serve as a mechanism of transmission. Respiratory transmission also may have a role in disease spread. Spread within families and institutions are common. Rotavirus is the most common cause of institutional acquired diarrhea in children and is an important cause of acute gastroenteritis in childcare settings. Common-source outbreaks have been reported. The incubation period is usually 1 to 3 days.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms last for an average of 4-6 days.

Children with a rotavirus infection may have:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting which are often followed by abdominal cramps and frequent
• Cough and runny nose
• Watery diarrhea (foul smelling and no blood)
• Diarrhea can cause severe dehydration

Signs of dehydration:

• Thirst
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Lethargy
• Sunken eyes
• A dry mouth and tongue
• Dry skin
• Fewer trips to the bathroom to urinate, and (in infants) a dry diaper for several hours

If these symptoms exist in your child contact your Doctor immediately.

“Children should not go to preschool or daycare if they have experienced a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea is the last 24 hours. The primary reason children are being admitted to the hospital is lack of hydration. Keep your children well hydrated,” says Pediatrician Dr. Aggarwal.

The virus survives for long periods on hard surfaces, in contaminated water and on hands. It is relatively resistant to commonly used disinfectants but is killed by chlorine. Rotavirus is identified in stool taken by special rectal swab laboratory kits obtained by a doctor’s order.

What can be done to stop the spread of Rotavirus?

• In the daycare setting infants and young children should have plastic coverings over cloth diapers.
• Isolate individuals with acute gastroenteritis in and institutional or daycare setting.
• Frequent handwashing by caretakers of infants and institutional caregivers and of the client’s hands is very important in control and prevention of spread.
• Department stores should wash their changing stations at least every hour.

No specific antiviral therapy is available. Oral or intravenous fluids are given to prevent or correct dehydration. No vaccine is available at this time.

If you have any further questions, call Mercy Medical Center-Clinton at (563) 244-5555.