Each year in the United States, a wave of rotavirus infection sweeps from the Southwest in November on up through the Northeast in March. Most children in the United States have been infected with rotavirus by the time they are two years old. For healthy adults and young children, infection with rotavirus is not a major concern. In serious cases, the primary symptom of watery diarrhea can cause severe dehydration, requiring hospitalization, and sometimes causing death.
Seek the advice of a medical professional if you suspect you may have become infected with rotavirus.
Fever
The normal incubation period from the time of infection to the appearance of the first symptom is approximately two days. Fever is usually the first sign of a rotavirus infection. The fever is generally low; according to the Merck Manual -- only 30% of people infected with rotavirus have a fever higher than 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39 degrees Celsius.
Diarrhea
Watery diarrhea is the primary symptom of rotavirus, and the most dangerous because it can cause severe dehydration. The Mayo Clinic says that dehydration from diarrhea induced by rotavirus is a major cause of death among children in developing nations. The diarrhea usually begins after a fever, and lasts for three to eight days.
Rotavirus causes diarrhea by attacking enterocytes, cells lining the small intestines. The virus causes infected cells to lose their fluids and salts into the intestines. With millions of cells simultaneously under attack, the large intestines cannot reabsorb all the fluids and salt and the result is watery diarrhea. Unlike some other causes of diarrhea, cases caused by rotavirus rarely have mucus or blood in the stool.
Dehydration
Children who become severely dehydrated from rotavirus will need intravenous fluids at a hospital to help them recover. In infants, signs of significant dehydration include an inability to shed tears when crying, dry mouth, less urination than usual and lethargy, or unresponsiveness. In adults, additional signs include extreme thirst, dizziness and weakness. With loss of fluids, the volume of blood decreases and blood pressure falls, causing the heart to race. Most cases of dehydration can be avoided by giving the patient extra fluids.
Vomiting
The Merck Manual reports that 90 percent of infants and young children with rotavirus suffer with vomiting. The vomiting runs the same course as diarrhea, lasting about three to eight days. Keeping the patient well-hydrated, with small sips of water or a rehydration formula in between episodes, can help limit the vomiting. Vomiting can add to the dehydration brought on by diarrhea, and together, they can cause hypokalemia, or low levels of potassium in the blood.
Abdominal Pain
The viral attack on the cells of the intestines and the resultant diarrhea and vomiting are often accompanied by abdominal pain. The abdomen may be distended and tender to the touch.
