In medicine, the term "rotavirus infection" refers to an acute disease that proceeds as a gastroenteritis. The development of pathology is accompanied by damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Outbreaks of rotavirus infection are most often recorded in the autumn-winter period, but the disease can occur in isolated cases. The most common pathology is diagnosed in infants up to 2 years of age, but older children and adults are also affected.
Development mechanism
Rotavirus infection is a disease characterized by an acute course and a high degree of contagion. The causative agent belongs to the reoviride family, in which there are only 6 genera. Rotaviruses are pathogenic microorganisms that contribute to the development of the disease not only in humans, but also in animals and birds.
The causative agent is resistant to aggressive environmental factors. It is able to withstand very low temperatures and does not die under the influence of most chemicals and ultrasound. The most effective means of controlling rotaviruses are: ethanol (95%), acids and alkaline solutions. In addition, pathogens die under the influence of high temperatures.
An infection enters the body through the oral cavity. In the first 24 hours, pathogens enter the gastrointestinal tract. Further development of events depends on the indicator of its acidity. If rotaviruses do not die, they penetrate into the epithelial cells of the villi of the small intestine. Due to this, they are torn away from each other. A natural result is a violation of the digestive process, in addition, dehydration occurs in the body. In this regard, the disease has another name - stomach flu.
Transmission ways
Rotavirus infection is most often infected during household contact. In addition, the disease is transmitted and by airborne droplets. Reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms occurs on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. After that, they enter the environment with feces, that is, the disease is a disease of dirty hands.
The most common routes of transmission of rotavirus infection are:
- food;
- unboiled water;
- Houseware;
- swimming in open water;
- cough;
- sneezing
- Conversations
- kisses.
In addition, the risk of infection in children's hospitals is high. In such institutions, the disease spreads if medical personnel are not responsible enough for compliance with sanitary rules.
In order to protect themselves, everyone should know how many days a person is contagious with rotavirus infection. The most dangerous are contacts with people in the first 7 days of the development of the disease. This is due to the fact that at this time the maximum volume of viral particles is released into the environment. After a week, the degree of human infectiousness begins to decrease. In isolated cases, the risk of infection from the patient remains up to 1 month.
Symptoms
The incubation period is about 5 days. After this, the disease goes into the acute period, accompanied by pronounced symptoms. The duration of this stage is, as a rule, from 3 to 7 days. Then comes the recovery period (about 5 days).
Children are difficult to tolerate the disease. It begins suddenly without any previous signs. In this case, the following symptoms are observed in children:
- Elevated body temperature. It lasts 2-4 days at a level of 38-39 degrees. It often happens that with rotavirus infection, the temperature does not rise, but the child feels a chill.
- Vomiting It is one of the first symptoms of the disease. Vomiting persists for up to 2 days, its episodes occur repeatedly.
- Diarrhea. In most cases, appears simultaneously with vomiting. The chair is plentiful, watery, has a yellow color. Sometimes a small amount of mucus can be found in feces, but other pathological inclusions should be absent. The number of bowel movements can reach 20 per day. Diarrhea worries up to 7 days.
- Pain They occur immediately after the transition of the disease to the acute phase. Each person has an individual character of pain. It can have a different degree of intensity and localization. Pain is almost always accompanied by bloating and flatulence.
- Severe weakness, lethargy, state of apathy.
- Violation of appetite until its complete loss.
- Runny nose.
- Cough.
- A sore throat.
With proper treatment, rotavirus infection in children recedes after 5-7 days, but episodes of diarrhea may occur periodically.
The severity of symptoms depends on the severity of the pathology. The disease may be mild, moderate or severe. The intensity of the manifestation of the clinical picture directly depends on the degree of dehydration of the body. In some cases, the disease is asymptomatic. Similar situations occur, as a rule, in newborn children and in babies born early.
Adults are also not protected against rotavirus infection. But they get sick less often and suffer pathology much easier than children. In most cases, the course of the disease is not accompanied by the appearance of any symptoms, which is due to more developed immune and digestive systems.
Even with weakening of the body's defenses and the presence of other pathologies of adults, nausea and vomiting do not bother. Patients complain of weakness, loss of appetite, fever, rare episodes of diarrhea. Despite the absence of pronounced signs, the patient is contagious.
If a woman's infection occurred during pregnancy, the further development of events depends on the number of pathogens and the state of the defenses. A mild form of the disease does not require hospitalization. In a more complex course, the patient is sent to a hospital. This is due to the fact that the disease can adversely affect the state of health of the child, and in the early term lead to miscarriage.
Diagnostics
If unpleasant symptoms occur, contact an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible. In the process of admission, it is necessary to provide him with information regarding all the alarming signs present and how long they appeared. The doctor will evaluate the patient’s condition and draw up a referral for examination.
To make an accurate diagnosis, a specialist prescribes:
- General blood analysis. At the beginning of the development of the disease, the level of leukocytes rises. In the acute period, on the contrary, it decreases significantly. Moreover, the ESR indicator in most cases remains unchanged.
- General urine analysis. In the presence of pathology, urine has a dark shade, sometimes protein, red blood cells and white blood cells are found in it.
- Coprogram. The study allows you to identify digestive disorders. Feces with rotavirus infection have a light shade.
- Baksev. Analysis is necessary to exclude other intestinal diseases.
A blood test to detect antibodies to the pathogen in it is not diagnostically significant. This is because such substances begin to be produced by the immune system only after a long time.
Treatment
Infection, getting into the body, goes through a full cycle of reproduction. In this case, not only the gastrointestinal tract is affected, but also other systems. At any stage of the development of the disease, the pathogen cannot be affected. Currently, there are no effective antiviral drugs for rotavirus infection. The task of the doctor is to eliminate the negative consequences of the disease. Thus, treatment of rotavirus infection is symptomatic.
When confirming the diagnosis, the treatment regimen is as follows:
- Replenishment of fluid loss. Frequent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea lead to dehydration, which must be eliminated in a short time. If the disease is mild, the doctor prescribes ready-made solutions sold in pharmacies, such as Regidron or Hydrovit. Similar products can be prepared at home. To do this, add 1 tbsp. To a glass of boiled water (200 ml). l salt and sugar.
- Reception of sorbents. It is an important step in the treatment of rotavirus infection. To eliminate intoxication, doctors prescribe: “Activated charcoal”, “Polysorb”, “Smecta”, etc.
- Taking or administering antiviral drugs. With rotavirus infection, agents of similar action help to reduce the duration of the disease. Currently, there is no effective drug that completely rid the body of the pathogen. In order to increase the level of interferons, experts prescribe: Cycloferon, Anaferon, Kipferon, Arbidol or Viferon. These funds are issued in children's form.
- Normalization of body temperature. If it has risen to critical values, you must drink any antipyretic based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. Candles (“Cefecon”, “Nurofen”) are rectally administered to small children or syrups of the same name are offered. A temperature below 38 degrees does not require correction.
- Acceptance of funds intended for the treatment of other intestinal infections. They are necessary to prevent the attachment of bacterial flora in severe pathology. In most cases, doctors prescribe Enterofuril. With rotavirus infection, the drug is ineffective, but prevents the development of complications. Means of such an action should be prescribed only by a doctor to avoid the occurrence of negative consequences.
- Reception of probiotics and prebiotics. They are designed to increase the number of bacteria that make up the healthy intestinal microflora. Experts recommend taking Enterol. With rotavirus infection, it has a complex effect on the body and helps to normalize stool. It is also allowed to take Linex, Acipol, Bifiform, Bifidumbacterin, Hilak forte.
- Strengthening the body's defenses. Antimicrobials, such as Furazolidone, can also be prescribed for these purposes. With rotavirus infection, the drug activates the immune system and inhibits the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms.
- Relief of pain. To eliminate an unpleasant symptom, it is enough to take the No-Shpa drug. Intramuscular or intravenous administration is also allowed.
Thus, the treatment of rotavirus infection is to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, reduce the duration of the disease and prevent the development of complications.
If there are alarming signs in the child, it is necessary to show it to the pediatrician as soon as possible. With severe symptoms should call an ambulance. Before her arrival, it is allowed to wash the baby's stomach. To do this, you need to prepare a solution based on salt, sugar and baking soda. Water should be boiled and cooled to about 35 degrees. In 1 liter, it is necessary to dissolve 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. soda and 4 tbsp. l Sahara. It is not recommended to use potassium permanganate for washing, since it is extremely difficult to choose its dosage correctly. Cases when patients receive a chemical burn of the intestinal mucosa are not uncommon.
Alternative methods of treatment
Unconventional methods do not save the patient from the need to seek qualified medical help. In addition, their use should be agreed with the attending physician in order to avoid complications of the disease. It is not recommended to use alternative treatment of rotavirus infection in young children.
Recipes with which you can improve the patient's condition:
- Prepare 5 g of cinnamon and 5 g of rusty elm in powder form. Thoroughly mix the components and pour the composition on the back of the tongue, then drink it with plenty of water.
- Wash 100 g of raisins and fill it with 1 liter of water. Put the container on fire for about half an hour. After the specified time, the broth needs to be cooled slightly and add 5 g of salt and baking soda to it, as well as 20 g of sugar. Raisins are recommended to grind. The resulting broth should be taken as often as possible, but in small portions.
- In order to prevent the occurrence of dehydration, it is recommended to drink saline. It should be taken instead of plain water. It is necessary to add 5 g of salt and 20 g of sugar in 1 liter of boiled liquid. To prevent dehydration, the resulting solution should be drunk as often as possible, and not only when there is a feeling of thirst.
- Grind 10 g of two-year-old oslinik and pour 300 ml of boiling water over it. Let it brew for several hours. The resulting product must be drunk 1 tbsp. l 5 times a day. The tool helps to normalize the stool.
- Pour 5 g of potato starch into 100 ml of boiled water. The resulting mixture must be drunk in one gulp.
- Cook compote from dried blueberries. It is effective for severe diarrhea. It is important that the berries are dried. Otherwise, diarrhea will become even more pronounced.
Diet
With rotavirus infection, nutrition is one of the most important points in treatment. This is especially true for children, most of whom are difficult to tolerate the disease. The need to adjust the diet is due to the fact that the pathogen affects the intestinal villi, contributes to the development of inflammation in the digestive glands and disruption of digestion of food. As a result, fermentation processes are launched and the production of enzymes necessary for the breakdown of carbohydrates is disrupted. In connection with such changes, the use of familiar foods increases diarrhea.
Principles of nutrition for rotavirus infection:
- With a disturbed appetite, you do not need to force the patient to eat if he does not experience hunger. But at the same time, you need to drink water as often as possible, dried fruit compote or saline (with pronounced vomiting, the portions of the liquid should be small so as not to strengthen it).
- With a mild form of the disease, indigestible food and dairy products should be excluded from the menu. If a child is breastfeeding, it is temporarily recommended that he be transferred to artificial feeding with a low-lactose mixture.
- Until complete recovery, it is forbidden to consume thermally untreated vegetables and fruits. Confectionery is also not recommended.
- All dishes must be boiled or steamed. Fatty, fried, spicy and smoked foods are forbidden to eat.
With a diet, not only does the patient feel better, but the duration of the course of the disease is also reduced.
Consequences and possible complications
Rotavirus infection is not on the list of the most dangerous diseases, but it can adversely affect your health. According to statistics, annually, half a million people die from pathology, which in most cases is due to self-medication and / or untimely treatment for qualified medical help.
With proper treatment of complications, rotavirus infection does not. After recovery, the body returns to its previous state. In the absence of treatment, bacterial infection may occur, which will significantly worsen the course of the pathology.
The most serious consequence of rotavirus infection is death. It can occur with severe dehydration. A prolonged increase in temperature also negatively affects the work of internal organs. First of all, the brain suffers, since in this state the process of dying of its cells starts.
Prevention
To prevent infection, standard hygiene rules must be followed:
- Wash hands before eating and after walking.
- Drink boiled water.
- Use only personal hygiene items.
- Do not eat unwashed fruits, vegetables and berries.
- If one of the family members is infected with a rotavirus infection, it must be isolated in a separate room and ventilated as often as possible.
In addition, there is a vaccine against the disease. Currently, it is mandatory in many countries of the world. In Russia, the drug is still being tested, but cases of successful vaccination in Moscow have already been recorded.
Finally
Rotavirus infection is understood as a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by an acute course. Children are most susceptible to pathology, but adults can become infected. The development of the disease is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and a general deterioration in well-being. In adults, the disease is often asymptomatic. If there are alarming signs, you must contact an infectious disease specialist.