We are used to treat symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting as indicators that a person has poisoning. But it's not always the case. The above and other symptoms may indicate a disease such as rotavirus infection. What is this ailment, what is it accompanied by and what treatment methods exist? The answers to these, as well as many other questions, will be considered in the article.
General information about the disease
The disease has several names: intestinal flu, stomach flu, rotavirus, rotavirus gastroenteritis, rotavirus infection. What is this ailment and what triggers its appearance? The disease is contagious and is caused by rotaviruses. It can affect both very young children and adults.
How fast is rotavirus infection? The incubation period of the disease can last from 1 to 5 days. In this case, the patient is a carrier of infection and remains contagious to others from the very first day until the moment of complete recovery.
How long does it take to get rid of a problem like rotavirus infection? How long does the disease last? It depends on the nature of its course, the characteristics of the body and even the age of the patient. Adults, as a rule, tolerate the disease much easier and recover after 5-7 days.
Ways of infection
One cannot help but recall how rotavirus infection is transmitted. Most infections occur through the oral cavity. Sometimes it’s enough to eat something with dirty hands or unwashed fruits and vegetables, so that soon the ailment makes itself felt. Often the virus enters the body along with dairy products. This is due to the specifics of their production.
Rotaviruses are highly resistant to environmental conditions and do not die in the refrigerator, nor in chlorinated, nor in holy water. Children can catch the disease even when they attend school, kindergarten, or a day nursery. This can be explained by the fact that viruses and other microorganisms in these institutions are different from the "home" ones usual for the child.
In addition to all this, the disease can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy contact-household and even airborne droplets. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of the presence of rotavirus infection in one of the family members or others, it is worth minimizing communication with him (up to complete isolation) for the entire treatment period.
Symptoms of the disease in children
What is accompanied by rotavirus infection in children? Komarovsky (a well-known children's doctor, whose advice many mothers of Russia and other countries listen to) will give an answer to this question.
So, it is worth starting with the fact that in children the disease is pronounced from the first days of its appearance. Symptoms that accompany rotavirus infection:
- vomiting
- diarrhea;
- change in color and consistency of the stool: on the first day it is liquid and turns yellow, and on the second and third it becomes clay-shaped and gray-yellow.
In addition, the baby's appetite disappears, the child becomes lethargic and sleepy. His throat may turn red, runny nose. Pain may appear during swallowing.
An elevated temperature during rotavirus infection is also a very common symptom. It can rise up to 39 degrees, and knocking it down is quite problematic.
Very young children, who still cannot explain what they have in pain, become very irritable and crying. A separate symptom in such babies is the rumbling in the abdomen.
Symptoms of the disease in adults
Adults tolerate the disease much easier, since its symptoms are not so pronounced, and some may be absent. As a rule, rotavirus in adults is accompanied by a decrease in appetite, weakness, fever, abdominal pain and the appearance of loose stools. In most cases, vomiting of the patient does not bother, although there are exceptions to this rule.
As you can see, the symptoms of the disease are very easy to confuse with conventional poisoning. How, then, is a correct diagnosis established? One question must be answered precisely to determine the presence of an ailment such as rotavirus infection: how many days do symptoms persist? The fact is that ordinary poisoning disappears after 2-3 days, while intestinal flu can be eliminated no earlier than 5 days after its appearance.
Treatment of the disease in children
How to get rid of a disease such as rotavirus infection in children? Komarovsky will help in solving this issue. Well-known and beloved by many, the pediatrician pays special attention to the fact that, first of all, it is necessary to provide the child with enough fluid. This will help to avoid dehydration of the body and the unpleasant consequences associated with it, which can manifest itself in the form of malfunctions in the work of certain internal organs and even death. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the fact that water should enter the baby's body in small portions (up to 50 g at a time). This is necessary in order to avoid the gag reflex as much as possible.
It is important to monitor the condition of the baby, especially for infants. If he has no sweat, urination does not occur for more than three hours, a dry tongue and the baby cries without tears, this indicates dehydration (dehydration) of the body. In this case, it is urgent to call an ambulance. This is especially true in situations where a child refuses a bottle or cup of water or everything he drinks immediately leaves the body through vomiting. Doctors will carry out intravenous rehydration, and if necessary, they will take the baby and mother to the hospital.
During the period of the disease, it is strictly forbidden to give the child dairy products: milk, kefir, cottage cheese and so on. The only exception is breast milk.
What can I eat with a diagnosis of rotavirus infection? What to feed the baby? In the absence of appetite, it is not necessary to force the child to eat by force. As an option, he can be offered a slightly sweetened liquid rice porridge cooked on water, homemade jelly, chicken broth. All this must be given in small portions (up to 50 g).
As for medications, the child may be prescribed sorbents (for example, activated carbon) and Regidron to restore the water-salt balance. The latter must be diluted in a liter of water and gradually given to the child every 30 minutes throughout the day. The only exception is sleep time.
The next point is the elimination of heat. It is worth noting that in this case, as with other infectious diseases, you should not bring down the temperature up to 38 degrees if it does not bring noticeable inconvenience to the child. In other situations, the doctor may prescribe a child's suppository (for example, "Cefecon"), syrup ("Nurofen") or tablets ("Paracetamol"). In cases where the temperature does not stray for a long time, a baby older than one year old can be given Paracetamol with 1/4 tablet of Analgin.
Excellent results in combating high temperatures show rubbing with a weak solution of vodka. It is important to adhere to a few simple rules:
- you need to wipe absolutely the whole body of the baby, without missing even the smallest areas;
- at the end of the procedure, put thin socks on the legs;
- rubdown can be carried out no earlier than half an hour after taking an antipyretic drug, in the case when the temperature does not begin to decline;
- wrapping a child is strictly prohibited!
In the presence of symptoms of gastrointestinal upset, which are accompanied by an increase in temperature, the pediatrician may prescribe Enterofuril or Enterol. The dosage in this case will depend on the age of the child, and the treatment period will be at least five days. Drugs help get rid of bacterial intestinal infection and contribute to the rapid elimination of diarrhea.
From abdominal pains, a child can be given “No-shpu”. To do this, you need to draw 1 ml of solution into the syringe and pour it into the baby’s mouth, then give it a drink of tea.
After the child begins to have an appetite, he is prescribed "Bactisubtil." It contributes to the treatment of diarrhea and the restoration of microflora in the intestines. It is necessary to give it 1 capsule dissolved in water twice a day, one hour before a meal. The course of treatment is usually 5 days.
Treatment of the disease in adults
To understand what measures must be taken for successful treatment, it is worth paying attention to the symptoms associated with the disease. Any antiviral agent for rotavirus infection will not show effectiveness. The main goal of treatment in this case is the elimination of unpleasant symptoms of the disease.
Rotavirus infection (what this disease is, we already know) in most cases is accompanied by high fever. It is worth considering that the virus, which provokes the appearance of the disease, dies only at 38 degrees. That is why you should not bring down the temperature until it reaches 39 degrees. If necessary, you can use any of the available antipyretic drugs, be sure to observe the dosage indicated in the instructions. There are also other ways to lower the temperature with a diagnosis of rotavirus infection. Treatment at home in the absence of medical means can be carried out using an aqueous solution. They need to grind the whole body, paying particular attention to the feet and hands. One such wipe usually knocks down the temperature by one degree. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated several times a day.
The next point is the elimination of diarrhea. For this purpose, you can start taking "Enterofuril" twice a day. The duration of treatment should be at least 5 days. This also applies to those cases when the symptoms of the disease disappeared before the specified period of time.
Despite the fact that the drug is highly effective and prevents the occurrence of prolonged diarrhea, it is advisable to consult a doctor before using it. Based on the characteristics of the patient’s body and the nature of the course of the disease, he can choose another, more suitable means.
In order to get rid of dragging or sharp cramping abdominal pain, you can drink one pill "No-shpa". But this method can only be used in cases where the diagnosis is officially confirmed! Otherwise, you need to seek qualified help to identify the exact cause of the pain and exclude more serious diseases, such as acute appendicitis.
In addition to the foregoing, it is necessary to take such drugs for rotavirus infection, which will contribute to the speedy restoration of intestinal microflora. One such tool is Linex. The dosage and duration of treatment with a medication in each case is determined by the doctor, so it is worth listening to all his recommendations.
Diet for the disease
What else can be done to quickly get rid of such an ailment as rotavirus infection? Treatment at home additionally provides for a special diet.
Let's start with the children's menu. It was already mentioned above that the baby is contraindicated in eating any dairy products, with the exception of breast milk. It is better to replace them with water or herbal teas during treatment: with ginger to eliminate abdominal pain or with mint to reduce nausea.
Food should be easily digestible. Broths, soups, vegetable juices, mashed potatoes are perfect. After the child begins to recover, you should introduce yogurt into his diet. It will help restore the level of beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
Next, go to the adult menu. In the early days of the disease, you should stick to diet No. 4. It includes the use of crackers from white bread, broths, low-fat fish and meat, rice or semolina cooked on the water. If possible, salt should be excluded from your diet.
As a drink, you can use ordinary water or healthy decoctions of blackcurrant, raspberry, blueberry or cocoa, prepared on water, and tea.
After diarrhea has decreased, you can add mashed potatoes, vegetable dishes (carrots, beets, cauliflower, tomatoes) and soups to the above menu. Seasonal berries and fruits will also be beneficial.
At the time of treatment, it is necessary to abandon cereals from barley and pearl barley, smoked and salted fish, canned goods, pasta and butter products, white cabbage, garlic, radish, onion. Fatty, fried and spicy foods, dairy products, fast food, chips, coffee and carbonated drinks are strictly prohibited.
Rotavirus infection during pregnancy
The disease can affect pregnant women. Usually it goes in a mild form, so women rarely seek medical help. Scientists have proved that the disease does not harm the fetus and does not affect the course of pregnancy.
Rotavirus infection during pregnancy is accompanied by weakness, nausea and vomiting, loose and frequent stools (from 5 to 15 times a day), and an increase in body temperature. In severe cases, signs of dehydration, tachycardia (increased heart rate), and low blood pressure may appear.
The treatment in this case consists in combating intoxication syndrome, reimbursing water-salt costs using heavy drinking or intravenous fluids, as well as restoring the functions of the stomach and intestines. In addition, it is important to adhere to a special diet, which was mentioned above.
Disease complications
In the case of a significant decrease in the patient’s immunity or the absence of timely treatment, rotavirus infection can cause some complications.
First of all, the disease is dangerous by dehydration. This can occur in cases of severe diarrhea or vomiting. The situation is aggravated by a significant increase in temperature. To avoid this condition, it is very important to take a sufficient amount of liquid: water, fruit drinks, decoctions of herbs.
In cases where vomiting is very strong and the body does not take even the minimum dose of drink, there is a need for urgent hospitalization. In a hospital, the required amount of fluid will be administered intravenously using a dropper.
Another danger of the disease is that in the absence of the necessary and timely treatment, a high probability of developing a bacterial intestinal infection occurs. In this case, even a fatal outcome is possible, therefore it is very important to take all necessary measures to get rid of the problem. An experienced specialist can help in this matter, so you should not postpone a visit to the clinic.
But be that as it may, rotavirus infection (what this disease is and what is accompanied by it, you already know) is not an ailment that causes long-term consequences and complications. Moreover, an adult can develop immunity to it. But this, unfortunately, does not mean that re-stomach flu will no longer bother. The fact is that it can be caused by several types of microorganisms, and not just one. Therefore, it is worth taking maximum care to comply with basic preventive measures that will help to avoid such a nuisance.
Disease prevention
To understand what preventive measures can be taken, it is worth remembering the causes of the disease and excluding them. First of all, it is the observance of elementary rules of personal hygiene: washing hands before eating, after the street and going to the toilet. It concerns both adults and the youngest children.
In addition, you need to carefully monitor the cleanliness and quality of foods taken. For example, apples must be washed, not wiped, and dairy and other products should not be spoiled and expired.
Another way to prevent rotavirus infection is by vaccinating to develop immunity against the disease. It is worth considering this item in more detail.
Rotavirus vaccine
The rotavirus vaccine contains the main live attenuated viruses, which in most cases are causative agents of the disease. After its introduction, a person develops immunity, which can last for several years. The first such vaccine is recommended for children whose age has not yet reached two years.
Vaccination is usually carried out in two stages, between which at least 4 weeks should pass. The drug is available in the form of drops that must be instilled in the mouth according to the instructions. Only a medical professional can carry out such manipulations!
As practice shows, vaccination against rotavirus in children can be carried out in combination with other vaccinations (CPC, DTP, polio and so on). It does not in any way affect the effectiveness of other medications and cannot cause an increase in the likelihood of side effects.
Despite the simplicity of vaccination and its safety for the body, in some cases it cannot be carried out. These include:
- the appearance in the child of an allergic reaction after the first dose administered;
- the presence of defects in the intestines;
- transferred intestinal invagination.
The vaccine against rotavirus infection is characterized by excellent tolerance and the absence of adverse reactions. As an exception, only the appearance of allergies as a result of individual intolerance by the body of one of the components can be noted.
Vaccination, unfortunately, does not give a 100% guarantee that the disease will not affect the vaccinated person. However, its effectiveness remains quite high.
It is worth noting some of the disadvantages of this type of vaccination. The fact is that the vaccine against rotavirus is not included in the national calendar both in Russia and in many other countries. Therefore, those who want to get it will have to spend some time searching. In addition, the cost of the vaccine is quite high.
Conclusion
So, we learned about a disease such as rotavirus infection. Treatment, nutrition, symptoms and methods of prevention were considered in the article.
As you can see, with the right approach, the disease is quite simple to cure, so do not be scared when its signs appear. The main thing is to notice the problem in a timely manner and take all necessary measures.
Take care of yourself and be healthy!