Rotavirus

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Rotavirus
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What is rotavirus?

• Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe
  diarrhea among children, resulting in the
  hospitalization of approximately 55,000 children
  each year in the United States and the death of
  over 600,000 children annually worldwide.
• Also known as gastroenteritis

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What are the signs and symptoms?

• Non-bloody diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dehydration in severe cases
• Fever
• Abdominal pain

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Incubation and Contagious periods

• Incubation period 2-4 days
• Contagious period Virus is present before
  diarrhea begins and can persist for up to three
  weeks after the illness

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How is it spread?

• Fecal-oral route
• Organisms can be found on toys and hard surfaces
• Virus found in respiratory tract secretions and
  other body fluids
• Most often passed along in families

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How is rotavirus treated?

• No specific treatment because rotavirus is a
  self-limiting disease
• The body build up its own immunity to rotavirus
• Fluid intake should be increased to prevent
  dehydration

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How do you control it?

• Hand washing, especially after toileting or
  diapering and before contact with food or
  surfaces involved in preparations and serving
  food.
• Surface sanitation that includes cleaning and
  rinsing of surfaces with detergent and water and
  then application of a 70 ethanol solution that
  is allowed to air-dry or sprayed on, freshly make
  164 dilution of household bleach that completely
  wets the surface.
• Vaccinations have been developed to help combat
  the virus.

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Rotavirus Vaccine

• RotaTeq is current vaccine
• Oral vaccine
• 98 of children who receive the vaccine are
  protected from severe rotavirus, 74 of children
  never get it at all
• Does not prevent diarrhea and vomiting caused by
  other germs but does protect against diarrhea and
  vomiting caused by rotavirus

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Vaccine Cont.

• Vaccine given in 3 doses
• 1st dose 2 months
• 2nd dose 4 months
• 3rd dose 6 months
• All 3 doses should be given by 32 weeks of age
• Rotavirus vaccine is usually given at the same
  time as other childhood vaccinesif decided upon
  by the parent(s).

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Roles of Caregiver/Teacher and Family

• Report the infection to staff designated by the
  child care program or school for decision making
  and action related to care of ill children.
• Family members and staff who may have been
  exposed to the virus should watch for symptoms.
• Reeducate staff and family to ensure strict and
  frequent hand washing, diapering, toileting, food
  handling, and sanitation procedures.

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Exclude from group setting?

• Yes if
• Child has diarrhea not contained in toilet,
  children who use diapers or have frequent toilet
  accidents
• Child has diarrhea and is able to use the toilet,
  but he or she has no urine output for 8 hours.
• Staff cannot care for sick child as well as other
  children with enough attention.
• The child meets other exclusion criteria, such as
  fever with behavior change

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Readmit to Group Setting?

• Stool contained to toilet
• Even if stools stay loose, if the child seems
  well and the stool consistency has not changed
  for a week
• When the child is able to participate and staff
  determine that they can care for the child
  without compromising their ability to care of the
  health and safety of the other children in the
  group.