noun
definition
Any of a group of wheel-shaped viruses, of the genus Rotavirus, that causes gastroenteritis and diarrhea in children and animals.
Examples of rotavirus in a Sentence
Other vaccines exist for herpes, rotavirus and EVA (equine viral arteritis ).
The vaccines protect against rotavirus gastroenteritis, which kills about one child every minute in the developing world.
Rotavirus can be detected by electron microscopy, enzyme immunoassay (EIA ), or PCR.
However, rotavirus diarrhea can occur in all age groups.
These serotypes are covered by the existing rotavirus vaccine candidates in clinical development.
An estimate of the costs of cases of rotavirus infection admitted to hospital in Scotland was done in a similar way by Cowden.
Rotavirus is the major cause of diarrhea and vomiting in young children worldwide.
Many different viruses can cause gastroenteritis, but the most common ones are the rotavirus and the Norwalk virus.
The name rotavirus comes from the Latin word "rota" for wheel and is given because the viruses have a distinct wheel-like shape.
Rotavirus infection is also known as infantile diarrhea or winter diarrhea, because it mainly targets infants and young children.
Group C rotavirus has been associated with rare cases of diarrheal outbreaks in Japan and England.
In the United States, more than 50,000 children are hospitalized and up to 125 die each year as a result of rotavirus infection.
Moreover, worldwide, rotavirus is thought to be responsible for more than 5 to 10 million deaths in children every year.
The main symptoms of the rotavirus infection are fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea (which can lead to severe dehydration).
Because of excellent U.S. healthcare, rotavirus is rarely fatal to American children.
In developing countries, however, with insufficient means to rehydrate children, rotavirus is oftentimes fatal.
In other words, a child can catch a rotavirus infection if she puts her finger in her mouth after touching toys or things that have been contaminated by the stool of another infected child.
Nearly every child by the age of four has been infected by this virus and has rotavirus antibodies in their body.
The rotavirus infection is diagnosed by identifying the virus in the patient's stool.
It is crucial that parents and children use excellent hand-washing technique after toileting and diaper changes to prevent further spread of rotavirus diarrhea throughout the family.
The healthcare provider should also give guidance concerning how long a child with rotavirus diarrhea should be kept home from daycare or school.
The four types of viruses that cause most viral gastroenteritis include rotavirus, adenovirus, calicivirus, and astrovirus.
However, if identification of the infectious agent is required, a stool sample will be collected and analyzed for the presence of rotavirus, disease-causing (pathogenic) bacteria, or parasites.
Research is underway involving vaccines that will decrease the risk of rotavirus infection, especially among infants and young children.
Such symptoms are most likely due to other organisms such as rotavirus, Salmonella, Shigella, or Escherichia coli.