Rotavirus
Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting, diarrhea and a fever. The symptoms are most severe in young children, according to the South Dakota Department of Health. There is no cure for the rotavirus, only treatments to prevent dehydration. To avoid contamination, it's good to understand how the virus is spread.
Fecal Transmission
Rotavirus multiplies in the small intestine of an infected person. The most common mode of transmission is through fecal contact. The virus is transmitted from the hands, after contact with infected feces, to the mouth. Only a small number of the microscopic viruses are needed to cause infection. Infected people can contaminate their hands with feces after a bowel movement, or infant caretakers can contaminate their hands with feces after a diaper change. Hand-washing does not always kill rotavirus, according to the Journal of Pediatrics. The virus can be transmitted from the hands to food and inanimate objects. Rotavirus can live on the hands for four hours and on inanimate objects for several days. Touching infected feces, touching an infected object or touching the hands of a person whose hands are contaminated with the virus, contaminates your hand with the virus. If you touch your mouth with infected hands, you expose yourself to the rotavirus. In addition, eating food that was touched by a person whose hands were infected exposes you to the rotavirus.
Respiratory Transmission
There is some evidence that rotavirus may be transmitted through the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is evidenced by the finding of rotavirus present in the lung sputum of some infected people.
Preventing Infection
The best way to reduce the chances of becoming infected with rotavirus is to wash your hands frequently, before eating and before touching your face, and to avoid eating food prepared by an infected person. Because hand-washing does not always effectively remove rotavirus from the hands and disinfectants do not always effectively kill rotavirus on objects, avoid touching your face when you have been exposed to an infected person.
References
- South Dakota Department of Health: Rotavirus
- Journal of Pediatrics 2006;149(4):441-447; Nosocomial Rotavirus Infections: A Systemic Review; Chandran A, Heinzen RR, Santosham M, Siberry GK; 2006
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2006;55(RR-12):1-16; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Prevention of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Among Infants and Children; 2006
