The features of the course of rotavirus infection in children and adults

Abstract

Rotavirus infection, which is also known as "intestinal flu", belongs to the group of diseases caused by RNA genomic viruses of the Reoviridae family. In terms of prevalence, it ranks second after influenza; the mechanism of transmission is fecal-oral. Once in the body, within several hours the virus leads to damage to the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, which is clinically manifested in the form of gastroenteritis. Most often, children under the age of five get sick; after recovery, a fairly stable immunity remains. Due to its high contagiousness, the virus frequently causes outbreaks in organized children's groups. The main danger of rotavirus infection is a rather rapid dehydration of the body, therefore, any case of the disease should be under the supervision of a doctor, especially for children under the age of one year. Vaccination is one of the ways to prevent the development of the disease; for this purpose, both monovalent and polyvalent vaccines can be used. In developing countries, rotavirus infection is one of the main causes of infant mortality from infectious diseases. Adult patients are characterized by a subtle course of the disease, which can manifest itself in the form of a single vomiting and diarrhea, a slight increase in temperature. Meanwhile, it should be remembered that even with this course, the patient is an epidemic danger to others.