Rotavirus infection in a one-year-old child: treatment. Rotavirus infection in children: a mild illness or a dangerous illness? Prevention of rotavirus while holidaying with children

The virus got its name from the Latin word “rota” - wheel. When enlarged, the enveloped virus looks like a wheel with a rim. The group of rotaviruses includes 8 different species, they are designated with Latin letters, from A to H. More often than other types, rotavirus A becomes the source of human infection. It is also divided into several types (they are called serotypes).

The virus has a triple protein coat that protects it from digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines. The virus multiplies on the mucous epithelium of the intestinal cavity. The incubation period of rotavirus infection ranges from 1 to 5 days.

After entering the mucous membrane, the virus tries to invade its cells and make them sources of reproduction of new rotaviruses. Sometimes the introduction does not occur, the disease is asymptomatic, and the body forms antibodies to this virus. More often, an acute disease develops.

Acute manifestations of the disease last up to 7 days, sometimes more. Rotavirus manifests itself as toxic poisoning: severe vomiting, diarrhea. In addition to indigestion, a runny nose appears (due to toxins entering the blood) and redness of the larynx. Naturally, there is no appetite, no strength. Afterwards, the recovery period begins, which lasts 3-5 days.

Rotavirus infection appears much less frequently in adults than in children. This is explained more high concentration gastric juice in the stomach of an adult. It allows you to neutralize the virus even at the stage of penetration into the body.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

Signs of rotavirus infection are most pronounced during primary infection. They are diagnosed as acute poisoning and intestinal disorder. The child develops nausea and vomiting, a fever, and diarrhea.

Rotavirus has a characteristic symptom. It is manifested by the color of stool. The consistency of feces resembles clay and turns gray-yellow. Urine acquires dark color(due to the elimination of toxins through the blood and kidneys), may have blood flakes. Light-colored stool and dark urine may cause misdiagnosis. The child may be diagnosed with hepatitis, but a blood test for liver tests will show that this disease does not exist.

A severe acute reaction is observed in 80% of infected children. In addition to nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, a runny nose and sore throat (with inflammation and redness) are added. This is the body's natural reaction to toxic poisoning. It removes toxins through various organs(intestines, kidneys, throat, nose). Therefore, inflammation forms on the mucous surface of the nasopharynx, and increased mucus secretion occurs to remove toxins.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection in adults are more vague. They may not exist at all (the disease is asymptomatic, but a person is able to transmit the virus and infect another adult or child). If symptoms are still present, it may be a slight weakening of the intestines, pain in the lower abdomen.

Since adults often do not visit a doctor if the symptoms of the disease are mild (maybe I ate something?), the question arises, how to treat rotavirus infection in adults, and is treatment necessary for mild symptoms of the disease? We will talk in detail about the principles of treating the virus further; we will only say that treatment is carried out according to symptoms. If you have a slight weakness and you suspect rotavirus, take an adsorbent and follow a diet. No other treatment measures may be required.

The signs listed above are indirect. That is, they indicate the probable presence of rotavirus in the body. An accurate diagnosis can only be made after laboratory research feces

How is rotavirus infection transmitted?

It’s not for nothing that rotavirus is called the disease of “dirty hands” (just like Botkin). This infection is transmitted mainly through the mouth and through contaminated foods. It can be transmitted through close contact (kissing) and through sharing utensils. It is not transmitted through handshakes (if you wash your hands thoroughly afterward and if the child does not put his fingers in his mouth). In the acute period of the disease, the virus is contained in the mucus discharge. Therefore, you can become infected with it when a sick person coughs and sneezes.

Let's look at how to treat rotavirus infection in children and adults.

Treatment of rotavirus infection with drugs

Medicine does not have any drug that actively acts against rotaviruses. The body fights itself, so there is no specific treatment for this pathogen. Medicines and measures are prescribed that treat and help recover from poisoning, sore throat and fever. How to treat rotavirus infection?

Several groups of drugs are used:

rehydrators;
adsorbents;
probiotics.

Rehydrators are the main drugs for the treatment of rotavirus

Rehydration therapy prevents dehydration. Any diarrhea and poisoning are accompanied by increased removal of fluid from the body. Therefore, one of the main dangers of rotavirus is disruption of water and electrolyte balance, dehydration of organs and tissues.

Salted water is used as a rehydrator (for 1 liter of water - 1 teaspoon table salt), or pharmaceutical powder rehydrator preparations. They are diluted with water according to the instructions and used every half hour.

You can also use dried fruit compote or raisin water as a rehydrator. To avoid new vomiting, take the liquid in small portions (¼ cup every 30 minutes).

The risk of dehydration is greatest for young children (infants). The lower your body weight, the faster your body loses water and weight. Signs of significant dehydration include crying “without tears,” lack of sweating, and infrequent urination (once every 3 hours).

If dehydration persists for more than 1 day, breathing difficulties may arise, convulsions may occur, and pneumonia may develop. Therefore, young children who refuse to drink water are given intravenous fluids in a hospital setting.

Sorbents and enzymes

Sorbents are drugs for removing toxins from the intestinal cavity. Sorbents include pharmaceutical drugs Smecta, activated carbon, Polysorb, Enterosgel. Among the natural sorbents is clay. It is taken in the form of a suspension, stir ½ teaspoon of dry clay in water and drink until the suspension sinks to the bottom of the glass. To improve digestion take enzyme preparations(Mezim, Pancreatin).

Should I lower the temperature?

Treatment of rotavirus infection in adults does not use drugs to reduce fever. It is at 38º and above that the protein strands of the virus die. Artificially lowering the temperature of an adult or child does not allow the body to fully resist the virus. The temperature can be reduced only in case of severe intolerance (convulsions, schizophrenia).

In children, lowering the temperature is also used for special indications. If the child tolerates 38 or 39º well, then there is no need to give antipyretic drugs.

The virus is not an antibiotic, it is insensitive to drugs antibacterial therapy. That is, treating any viral infection with antibiotics is not only ineffective, but also harmful. Why?

Antibacterial drugs are means broad action. They kill not only pathogenic bacteria, but other representatives of the intestinal flora. Thus, local immunity is impaired, which contributes to a stronger spread of the virus.

Antibacterial drugs can be used for treatment if a bacterial infection occurs against the background of a virus infection.

However, this situation does not arise earlier than the 3-4th day of illness. Therefore, to prescribe antibiotics, a blood test is necessary to identify a high number of white blood cells, which indicate a bacterial infection.

Nutrition for rotavirus infection

What to feed a child with rotavirus infection? The food must be dietary. If your child has no appetite, do not feed him at all. If the appetite is still there, give porridge in water, vegetable puree, yeast-free bread or soaked crackers, baked vegetables. When vomiting disappears, you can give kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese. A few days later - carrots, potatoes, sweet apple.

What should not be given for rotavirus:

Milk porridge and whole milk.
Rich broths and soups, borscht, and other first courses made with strong broth.
Animal proteins with high fat content (pork, beef, salmon).
Sour berries, fruits.
Yeast bread, baked goods, pastries, confectionery.

One of the consequences of rotavirus is lactose intolerance (insufficient absorption of milk sugar). It is manifested by bloating, flatulence, and persistence of loose stools. Therefore, often after an illness, a child stops absorbing breast milk. This may last for 2-3 weeks.

During the recovery period, sometimes it is necessary to replace mother’s milk with soy mixture or baby kefir (partially or completely for several days). As a rule, after 2-3 weeks, lactose production is restored, and the same diet and breastfeeding become possible.

Rotavirus infection during pregnancy

Like many viral infections, rotavirus can harm the baby in the womb if a woman is initially infected during pregnancy. However, medical research confirms that already at the age of 3, 100% of children have antibodies to this virus. People become infected with this infection during the first three years of their life. Therefore, for most women, rotavirus infection during pregnancy does not have catastrophic consequences for the baby in the womb.

The greatest danger for a pregnant woman when infected with rotavirus is dehydration.

To prevent it, you need to drink salted water or pharmaceutical rehydrators. And also take adsorbents to speed up the removal of toxins.

Prevention, vaccinations and risk groups

There is no guarantee that you will never encounter rotavirus. Therefore, the level of your reaction and the severity of symptoms will depend on the state of your immunity.

According to statistics, 100% of children over 3 years old have antibodies to rotavirus. However, this does not mean that you cannot get sick with rotavirus infection a second time. Since there are 8 types of these viruses, of which 3 are found in humans, infection with one of them does not exclude the possibility of infection with a virus of another type.

Formation external symptoms depends on the state of immunity. With sufficiently strong protective reactions, the symptoms of rotavirus appear weakly or not at all. The child may experience some digestive problems. However, more often the virus manifests itself acutely in children.

Transferring the disease reduces the likelihood of re-infection, but does not guarantee lasting immunity to rotavirus.

Prevention of rotavirus infection can be specific (drug) and nonspecific ( general events to comply with sanitary standards and strengthen immunity).

Specific measures include two types of vaccines with a weakened live virus. They are offered to make a baby up to 8 months old.
Non-specific - strengthening the immune system with general health-improving activities (hardening, walking in the fresh air), as well as good nutrition, maintaining healthy intestinal flora. If it is necessary to strengthen the immune system, if there is a lack of vitamins or minerals as specific prevention use vitamin-mineral complexes, active selenium, iodine.

To prevent the spread of the virus and form strong local immunity, probiotic preparations (Linex, Acipol, Yogurt) are used. Local immune reactions provide resistance to the virus at the entrance to the body, when it attempts to invade human mucosal epithelial cells. Normal healthy intestinal microflora does not allow the virus to integrate into epithelial cells and begin to multiply in the body of a child or adult.

For adults - prevention of rotavirus is normal operation stomach. At normal acidity, the virus dies in the hydrochloric acid of gastric juice. Therefore, as a group increased risk for rotavirus disease are people with low acidity, patients with gastritis with low acidity, as well as people with reduced digestive function, disturbed microflora of the large and small intestines, and excess weight. Also at risk are residents of large industrial centers who receive a daily dose of toxic substances from their polluted air.

The rotavirus vaccine is a live vaccine (contains a live, weakened virus, unlike many other vaccines, which contain inactive, dead virus particles). Therefore, it can only be done on a healthy child (to avoid complications and acute illness rotavirus).

Important measure nonspecific prevention- limiting a sick child from contact with other family members, as well as observing sanitary rules (washing hands, cleaning drinking water). The virus is transmitted through dirty hands and through shared utensils, so simple means of restriction can prevent infection of the entire family or children's group.

Rotavirus infection is quite common in children. The causative agent of the pathology is transmitted through household contacts and affects the organs of the digestive system.

Most often, children become infected in kindergarten, from adults, or as a result of consuming low-quality products.

Treatment of rotavirus infections in children at home is carried out using medicines and folk remedies.

Symptoms

To determine the symptoms and treatment of rotavirus intestinal infection in children, you should consult a doctor.

During the pathology, several periods are distinguished, which are characterized by certain features:

incubation period – lasts up to 5 days;
acute period – lasts 3-7 days;
The recovery period takes 4-5 days.

Most often, the pathology in children under 5 years of age has a rather complex course. It is characterized by severe poisoning of the body and serious intestinal disorders.

Before treating rotavirus intestinal infection in children, the clinical picture of the disease should be analyzed. TO characteristic manifestations illnesses include the following:

Manifestations of rotavirus infection can have varying intensity. How older child, the easier this disease progresses. But in any case, the very first symptoms of the disease should be a reason for a visit to a specialist.

Rotavirus - intestinal flu

Children under 2 years of age with severe or moderate illness should be urgently hospitalized.

In mild cases, therapy is carried out on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a pediatrician. How to deal with rotavirus infection in children?

Typically therapy includes the following components:

If complications arise, which may manifest themselves in the form of bronchitis, tonsillitis or tracheitis, symptomatic therapy is indicated.

Diet

Therapy for a disease cannot be effective without compliance special regime nutrition. The diet should be structured in such a way as to provide the body with useful substances even if the digestive process is disrupted.

Thanks to this, it will be possible to reduce the symptoms of inflammation, stop fermentation and normalize the functioning of the digestive organs.

In the acute period, meals should not include dairy products, including cottage cheese and kefir. You should also avoid eating carbohydrates.

It is advisable to give your baby chicken broth, rice porridge, jelly. It is recommended to take food in small portions so as not to cause vomiting.

After 5 days you can enter into the menu protein products- meat, cottage cheese. It is also useful to eat porridge with water and dried white bread. The diet should contain foods high in pectin - bananas, baked apples.

In this case, fatty fish, meat and black bread should be excluded from the menu.

What to give a child against rotavirus infections? This question worries many people. Effective folk remedies will help you cope with the disease:

Rotavirus – School of Dr. Komarovsky

Prevention

Prevention of rotavirus infections in children can be specific and nonspecific. In the first case, special vaccines are used.

Nonspecific prevention involves following the rules of personal hygiene - it is very important to wash your hands after visiting the toilet and public places. Recommendations for food and water handling should also be followed.

Particular attention should be paid to the quality of dairy products. It is forbidden to give children food of unknown origin or expired.

Rotavirus infection is quite common in childhood. This disease is accompanied unpleasant symptoms and requires timely medical attention.

To cope with the disease, medicines and traditional methods are used at home. Compliance with a special diet is of no small importance.

People have long since adopted the name “intestinal” or “stomach” flu for rotavirus infection. This disease is caused by a completely different type of virus, but often has the initial symptoms of ARVI.

Rotavirus infection in children occurs only in case of contact with the pathogen. This occurs through dirty hands, toys, after touching door handles, handrails, or eating food from an infected person’s dishes. There are still some controversial issues regarding the transmission of the virus - many defend the possibility of infection through airborne droplets.

Children are at high risk of becoming infected in preschool or educational institution, on playground, a walk or in an extended day group. There is a possibility of infection by drinking unboiled water with virus virions or by swimming in water bodies.

Parents should try to protect their child from rotavirus infection by developing proper hygiene skills, strengthening the immune system and avoiding contact with infected people. We must not forget that you can become infected from a visually healthy adult who carries the virus, so high-quality prevention can prevent infection.

Many parents do not even know how many days the disease lasts and how to treat rotavirus in children of different ages. They are also not familiar with the symptoms, although the disease is quite dangerous and is fraught with serious consequences, including death.

Note. This disease is most dangerous for children from 6 to 24 months, with artificial feeding- from birth.

Symptoms

Rotavirus in children always manifests itself more aggressively than in adults. Many adults may not even realize that they are sick - slight cold and an isolated case are in no way associated with a dangerous disease for children. Such people become virus carriers, infecting others.

Symptoms in children under one year of age can be extremely acute. Older children tolerate the disease much easier, they have fewer episodes of vomiting, and diarrhea is less pronounced.

There is no rash during the disease; if emerging rashes are detected, it is necessary to immediately notify the doctor of their presence. This may signal other, more dangerous infections.

Rotavirus is characterized by 3 types of symptoms: gastrointestinal, catarrhal and intoxicating.

Gastrointestinal:

vomit;
diarrhea (diarrhea);
moderate abdominal pain.

Catarrhal:

sore throat and redness of the throat;
fever, red eyes;
swelling of the tonsils, slight cough, .

Intoxicating:

lethargy, drowsiness;
lack of appetite;
severe immobility;
the smell of acetone from a sick person.

In children with rotavirus infection, the temperature often jumps to 40°C, but in most cases it ranges from 38.5-39.7°C. Vomiting (only in the first 2 days acute period) can be one-time or occur after each drink of liquid. Foul-smelling diarrhea is also variable - loose stool possible from 5-7 times to 20 in severe cases of the disease.

These symptoms do not appear immediately, but increase as the disease progresses. You need to know how the infection begins to manifest itself - it can give different symptoms in different children. One baby will be lethargic without intestinal disorders, another may immediately demonstrate uncontrollability.

Onset of the disease

The incubation period of most rotaviruses lasts from 1 to 5 days, often not exceeding 24 hours. The timing depends on the baby’s age, his immunity and the volume of the attacking virus. The disease can be accurately diagnosed using stool analysis. medical institution or using a rota test sold in pharmacies.

The initial stages of the disease are divided into three types:

Cold.
Classic.
Intoxication.

Often, at first, the disease is disguised as an acute respiratory infection or a common cold. Appears slight cough, nasal congestion or redness of the pharynx, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract begin after 2-3 days. In the second scenario, babies immediately begin to experience gastrointestinal disorders.

General intoxication in the third type of onset of the disease occurs without fever, the baby is either lethargic or too excited, the nasopharynx is normal, but soon they join. If infant lethargy appears for no particular reason, you should be on your guard - the intoxication onset of the disease is most often observed in such children.

Attention! Adults and adolescents are less susceptible to the disease due to the higher acidity of gastric juice. Symptoms in case of infection are erased, loose stools 1-2 times, vomiting may be absent, but such a person becomes a carrier of infection.

Parents should know all the signs of rotavirus infection and remember that the disease not only begins in different ways, it is also extremely contagious. They should also understand how to treat rotavirus infection in a child and not take this disease lightly.

Treatment

Rotavirus infection may show different course disease, but all treatment consists of 2 actions - rehydration and reducing the activity of the virus. Often, treatment of rotavirus in children may require the prescription of antipyretic drugs. This medicine should be taken at a temperature exceeding 38.5°C and should not be consumed acetylsalicylic acid(aspirin).

Attention! Illiterate treatment at home without contacting specialists is fraught with the appearance of dangerous complications and the likelihood of death.

The treatment regimen depends on the severity of the disease, the patient's age and location, but always includes antiviral drugs and plenty of fluids. Absorbent agents are also prescribed to reduce intoxication of the body. Treatment can take place at home or in a hospital setting.

Outpatient

Treatment at home necessarily requires contacting a doctor. The following groups of drugs are used as prescribed by a doctor:

Antiviral - Viferon, Interferon.
Rehydration - Regidron, Gluxonal.
Absorbent - Enterosgel, Smecta.
Antidiarrheal antibacterial agents - Enterofuril, Enterol.
Pro- and prebiotics - Linex, Hilak.

It is not advisable to give any medications other than absorbent ones without consulting a doctor. Before examining a doctor, it is better to give the patient plain boiled water.

Antidiarrheals and drugs to restore microflora are not always prescribed during the acute period. After its completion, along with beneficial bacteria, enzyme preparations are sometimes prescribed - Pancreatin, Creon.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to give antidiarrheal drugs to an infected person without a doctor’s prescription. Also, in the absence of direct indications, antibiotics should not be taken. They have no effect on the virus, but can harm the intestinal microflora. They are prescribed only when a bacterial infection is obvious or diagnosed.

Parents believe that when home treatment It is enough to know how long rotavirus infection lasts to make sure that the disease is overcome. This is the wrong approach - recovery can only be diagnosed by repeat testing for the absence of rotavirus.

Parents often clarify how many times their children get sick with rotavirus, because there is a concept of a “second wave” - after 5-7 days the patient gets better, and after 1-3 days the symptoms appear again. In the infectious diseases hospital they always do a test upon discharge to exclude this phenomenon.

Treatment in hospital

The younger the baby, the more likely he is to be hospitalized - for them the disease is most dangerous. Severely ill patients and children with severe dehydration are also admitted to the hospital. In other cases, treatment at home is acceptable, but all residents must exercise extreme caution and be sure to be tested for the absence of virus virions.

Advice! Hospitalization for rotavirus infection should not be neglected - over 400 thousand child deaths from this disease are recorded annually worldwide.

Not knowing how contagious a child is after rotavirus, some parents are in a hurry to leave the hospital as soon as possible. At the same time, there is still a possibility of infecting others - the sick person is contagious from the first day until full recovery. The most likely period of treatment in the hospital is 4-7 days, followed by examination of the stool for the content of virus virions.

The disease is divided into 3 periods:

Incubation - up to a maximum of 5 days.
Acute - uncomplicated 3-7 days.
Recovery - 4-5 days.

Staying in the hospital for the entire duration is not necessary, but in case of severe dehydration it is vital. Final recovery is diagnosed by laboratory tests, not by improvement in the patient's well-being.

Traditional methods

Various not medical methods can also help the patient recover faster or cope with the disease more easily. They can also help restore a child after rotavirus. They cannot be relied upon exclusively, but as a aid their use is permissible.

dill water;
St. John's wort decoction;
chamomile tea;
unsweetened dried fruit or raisin compote.

Some recommend taking a decoction of oak bark, but this remedy has a pronounced antidiarrheal effect, which is contraindicated for rotavirus infection. Many other recommended herbs and decoctions also have an antidiarrheal effect - their use can be life-threatening due to excessive reproduction of the virus. St. John's wort decoction also deserves special attention - children under 3 years old should not take it.

Even pediatricians recommend wiping with water with the addition of vinegar or alcohol. The temperature during rotavirus infection does not go down well and can remain high for several days, and such procedures help to reduce it slightly and make the patient feel better.

Complete treatment of rotavirus infection in children includes a mandatory diet. You need to know what you can eat during illness - proper nutrition is the key to a quick recovery.

Features of drinking and nutrition

If you don’t know what to feed a child with rotavirus infection, you can cause great harm. All dairy products must be excluded.

Children who are bottle-fed must be switched to lactose-free formulas. The exception is breast milk, but in case of critical dehydration, it is also prohibited. To avoid new attacks of vomiting, it is necessary to properly water children.

Features of fluid intake:

Often and in small portions.
Around the clock, wake up if he’s sleeping.
Take breaks between fluid intakes.
Maintain a gradual increase in drinking volumes.

Babies during the acute period should be fed from a spoon every few minutes, maintaining intervals. Even if the baby is very thirsty, do not give more than 50 ml at a time. Before the next portion you need to pause. A uniform supply of fluid is much more important than food - the baby may refuse food for a while. If you refuse, you cannot force feed your children; complete starvation is acceptable.

To avoid the progression of the acetonemic state and the leaching of salts, you can add a small amount of sugar and salt to your drink. Also acceptable special means like Regidron. Drinking plenty of fluids is urgently necessary; in case of refusal of liquid, it is required intravenous administration in a hospital setting.

If the sick person does not refuse food, then it should be dietary. During the acute period, porridge in water, pureed vegetable purees, rice and its broth, chicken broth and crackers. You should also follow a diet after rotavirus infection - the volume and density of food should be increased gradually. At first, you should avoid dairy, fatty, fried, spicy and sweet foods.

Complications

It is important to promptly recognize rotavirus and exclude Negative consequences. Maximum control the entire period of illness should be aimed at replenishing the lost volume of fluid.

Attention! If a child with rotavirus is on outpatient treatment, but responds to any fluid intake by vomiting - urgent hospitalization is necessary. Urgent recovery with IVs is required. Vomiting can cause catastrophic dehydration, which can be fatal.

If in the first days after rotavirus the child does not eat anything, do not worry too much and force feed him. It is much more important to maintain a drinking regime, offering frequent snacks from permitted foods, but without trying to force him to eat. Proper recovery after rotavirus infection helps to minimize the negative impact of the disease on health.

Parents should pay close attention to the well-being of children if severe dehydration and the appearance of a pronounced acetonemic state have occurred.

It is important to check your kidney function, the following consequences are possible:

Gasser syndrome.
Infectious-toxic kidney.
Acute renal failure.

If your stomach hurts after rotavirus, this is a reason to undergo additional examination. The disease itself usually does not cause pain after recovery, but it can damage the intestines. If the pain is combined with dark stools or stools, then you need to urgently seek medical help.

In most cases, the disease passes without consequences, but its course always causes severe stress for the body. To protect a child from rotavirus infection, timely prevention is necessary.

Prevention

The most important point of prevention is hygiene. It is important from infancy to teach children to wash their hands after using the toilet, returning from a walk and before eating. It is necessary to avoid drinking raw water - chlorine cannot completely overcome rotavirus. Heat treatment of products should be sufficient, and washing of fruits and vegetables should be thorough. For children, it is better to rinse vegetables and fruits with boiling water before eating.

Particular attention should be paid to wet cleaning of the house and regular disinfection of children's toys, as well as avoiding contact with children who have respiratory symptoms. Strengthening general immunity also applies to preventive measures. In case of illness, strong immunity will make it easier to transfer the infection.

There is also a vaccination against rotavirus, but it is not on the list of mandatory vaccines. The decision to use it is made by the child’s parents or guardians.

Vaccination against rotavirus

Many parents do not know whether their child can get rotavirus again and, after the first case of infection, think about vaccination. After past illness long-term immunity is formed, practically eliminating re-infection. Only people with poor health can become ill again.

Two types of vaccines can protect children from rotavirus infection. They are practiced only in infants without the slightest sign of any disease over the age of 1.5 months. Both types of vaccines are relevant up to six months of age and are carried out in several stages. The Belgian drug Rotarix is available in the form of double injections, the American RotaTek is used 3 times orally.

There are many debates about the need for this vaccination. It is not included in the list of mandatory vaccines, but you need to remember that rotavirus is highly contagious and can be life-threatening. If a child vomits or has diarrhea, parents should be wary, if possible, conduct a rota test purchased at a pharmacy, or immediately call a doctor.

Update: December 2018

The digestive tract is the most vulnerable system of our body. Every day, a significant amount of food and water of varying quality passes through it, which can be contaminated with bacteria, toxins, microscopic fungi, etc.

Getting into the cavity of the stomach and intestines, they begin to destroy the cells of these organs and disrupt digestion. Exists a large number of microorganisms that lead to acute intestinal infection, however, most often, these diseases occur due to Rotaviruses.

More than a billion cases of this infection are reported worldwide every year. According to statistics, every second family encounters rotaviruses at least once. Moreover, most often children under 10 years of age get sick.

Adults, as a rule, become infected while caring for their child, but it is also possible for the microorganism to enter from another source. Given such a wide prevalence of pathology, you should be wary of any signs of an intestinal infection and, if you suspect it, seek the help of a doctor.

What is Rotavirus?

This is a whole genus of viruses that infect the human small intestine. They persist for a long time on any environmental objects (food, water, clothes of a sick person, door handles, etc.). Once inside, rotaviruses transit through the acidic environment of the stomach and settle in the initial part of the intestine. They attach to its cells (enterocytes), penetrate inside and begin to multiply rapidly.

As soon as their concentration becomes large enough, the cell is destroyed and all copies of the viruses are released from it. Some of them come out along with feces, other microorganisms infect other enterocytes. It is because of this that rotavirus infection progresses steadily, without adequate treatment.

How do rotaviruses enter the body?

These microorganisms are highly contagious. They can enter the environment only in one way - from a sick person. Viruses are released in large quantities along with feces and can easily spread to the patient’s hands, clothes and household items (telephone, bed linen, door handles, etc.). For the infection to spread to another person, the rotavirus must enter oral cavity. Moreover, a very small amount is enough for the development of the disease.

If a patient with rotavirus infection appears in a family, there is a high probability of transmitting the disease to other members. Even if you properly care for and isolate the patient while keeping him at home, it is difficult to avoid a group outbreak.

It should also be remembered that this intestinal infection can affect people of decreed professions (which can infect a large number of people): catering workers, teachers, water utility employees, sellers and others. That is why there is always a possibility of contracting rotavirus if the basic principles of prevention are not followed.

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

From the moment rotavirus enters the intestines until the first symptoms appear, on average, 1-2 days pass. In more than half of patients, the disease is disguised as a common cold (ARC), manifested by a runny nose/nasal congestion, slight wet cough, sore throat. However, after a few days, or in parallel with the signs of acute respiratory infections, symptoms of an intestinal infection appear, which is why rotavirus infection is also called.

Rotavirus infection in children

As a rule, the disease in children under 5 years of age is quite severe. It is always accompanied by severe toxic poisoning of the body and severe intestinal disorders, which appear almost simultaneously. The most typical symptoms include:

Symptom of the disease	Characteristics of the symptom
Intoxication of the body	Rotavirus infection in infants begins with this symptom. The child becomes lethargic (he practically does not move, the cry is weak, he sucks reluctantly, etc.), cries for no reason, and excessive sweating is often noted. Older children, in addition to lack of appetite and weakness, may complain of headache or dizziness.
Increased temperature (hyperthermia)	Most often, body temperature rises quite strongly (more than 38-39 o C), but short term– up to 3 days. In the subsequent course of the disease, all other intestinal symptoms, but without temperature. Only with severe rotavirus infection, which occurs with significant poisoning of the body, hyperthermia can be observed for more than a week.
Diarrhea	In children under the 2nd year of life, loose stools can occur 10-14 times a day. As a rule, it is foamy, consists almost entirely of water, and may contain particles of mucus. Diarrhea may persist for 10-14 days. Such frequent bowel movements lead to dehydration and increase intoxication.
Vomit	In children under one year of age, vomiting continues for 1-2 days, repeats several times during the day, and contributes to dehydration. As a rule, an older child rarely suffers from this symptom for more than a day.
Abdominal pain	The pain is moderate and may intensify somewhat when palpating the abdomen (especially in the middle/lower halves).

Symptoms of rotavirus infection in children can vary in severity. As a rule, the older the child, the milder the disease. However, it should be remembered that if any signs of intestinal disease appear, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Rotavirus infection in adults

Almost all symptoms in adults are much milder than in young patients. Intoxication of the body may be absent or expressed in slight weakness and decreased appetite. The temperature rarely rises above 38 o C and often returns to normal within one day. Diarrhea, as a rule, occurs no more than 5 times a day, during the week (from 3 to 7 days). Vomiting is one-time or not expressed.

Rotavirus infection in adolescents proceeds similarly to adults - the symptoms are moderate and respond well to treatment.

Dangerous symptoms

There is a group of “warning” symptoms for children and adults, the appearance of which should immediately contact an ambulance medical assistance. They indicate a severe course of the infection and require inpatient treatment. It is especially important to control the appearance of these symptoms in a sick child, since he will not be able to do this on his own.

The appearance of red blood in the stool or black staining of the stool(with a shiny tint and unpleasant smell) is an extremely unfavorable sign that indicates an opening intestinal bleeding. In this case, you should immediately call an ambulance or go to an infectious diseases hospital/hospital;
Increased frequency of diarrhea up to 10 times a day or repeated vomiting(more than 7 episodes per day) - the active release of fluid during rotavirus infection significantly increases the poisoning of the body with toxins. In this case, the patient is hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital, where the lost volume of fluid and electrolytes is replenished with the help of droppers;
Severe abdominal pain- at typical course, abdominal pain is practically not expressed. A significant increase in pain may indicate damage to the intestinal walls;
The appearance of a rash on the body– small (up to 5 mm) and rare red spots that appear during the illness are very characteristic of typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever. In some cases, these pathologies may masquerade as a common rotavirus infection.

Diagnosis of rotavirus infection

Thanks to characteristic features, this disease can be suspected from the moment the first symptoms appear. To distinguish it from other infections, doctors use the following signs:

The onset of the disease is acute;
The virus is active all year round, the peak incidence is autumn, winter (but during the hot period in open water bodies it can easily become infected through water, swimming in the sea, there is always a risk of ingesting water);
Skin rashes – no;
Temperature – up to 39 o C, but short-term;
Characteristic clinical picture(described in the symptoms section).

In order to confirm the presence of rotavirus infection, routine laboratory tests are not enough ( general analyzes blood, urine, feces), since changes in them will be nonspecific. A definitive diagnosis can only be made using the following methods:

Treatment of the disease should begin immediately after the initial diagnosis is made. To do this, you do not need to wait for confirmation from the laboratory. Subsequently, treatment tactics can be adjusted, depending on the results obtained.

Treatment of rotavirus infection

Symptoms and treatment of rotavirus infection depend on the activity of the pathogen. Typically, this disease can be successfully treated at home. Patients are hospitalized in an infectious diseases hospital/hospital only if the infection is severe or when “dangerous” symptoms appear.

Medical nutrition

Therapy should begin with proper nutrition. Children receiving breast milk continue to be fed as before “on demand”, but at least 4-6 times a day. If the child is bottle-fed, it is better to use lactose-free/low-lactose formulas, which will have a positive effect on the intestinal condition and reduce the duration of diarrhea. It is important to note that during illness, introduce new complementary foods Absolutely forbidden, as this may worsen indigestion.

Older children and adults should exclude from their diet:

Any plant foods (berries, vegetables, fruits, including dried);
Bakery and flour products;
Fatty, salty, spicy, fried foods;
Whole milk;
Broths.

According to recent studies, all these foods strengthen the intestines, which is why diarrhea will persist a little longer. During illness, it is recommended to eat boiled, lightly salted porridge in small but frequent portions.

Elimination of rotavirus

How to treat rotavirus infection? To do this, it is necessary to remove microorganisms from the intestine that are located on its walls and destroy cells. For this purpose, you can use adequate doses of sorbent drugs, such as:

Activated carbon - up to 4-6 tablets per dose several times a day;
Smecta or Neosmectin (domestic analogue) – 3-4 sachets per day;
Enterodes or Polysorb – 1-2 sachets per day.

For children infancy the amount of medication is selected individually, depending on the child’s condition. Some forms of drugs are quite difficult to get an infant to drink. To simplify the process, preference should be given to syrups and medicinal solutions. The tablets can be dissolved in water or finely crushed and given on a teaspoon.

In addition to enterosorbents, the drugs Anaferon and Arbidol have proven their effectiveness against rotaviruses. During research, doctors discovered that their use speeds up the treatment of infection by several days.

Elimination of dehydration and intoxication

This is one of essential components treatment that improves general state patient of any age. Compensate for the loss of water and essential nutrients for the body minerals possible with the help of medications: Regidron, Glucosolan, Gastrolit.

If none of listed drugs not in your home medicine cabinet, for the first time you can prepare a solution similar in composition to these medications. To do this, add to 1 liter of boiled water:

4 tablespoons (20 g) sugar;
1 teaspoon (3 g) salt;
1 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda.

However, it should be remembered that it is better to use this solution only for a short time, before purchasing medications, since it lacks a number of important microelements.

Restoring bowel function

Rotavirus infection destroys some beneficial bacteria, which are necessary for efficient digestion. That is why it is necessary to include probiotics in therapy, such as Lactofiltrum, Linex, Bifidum, Bifidumbacterin, etc.

Caring for an infant with rotavirus

Since children under one year old can suffer from the disease quite seriously, they need to be provided with adequate care. Let us outline the fundamental points:

Proper nutrition. If the child is breastfed, it must be continued at least 4-6 times. When feeding artificial formulas, preference should be given to lactose-free/low-lactose concentrates;
Compliance with doctor's orders. Some forms of drugs are quite difficult to get an infant to drink. To simplify the process, preference should be given to medicinal solutions. The tablets can be dissolved in water or finely crushed and given on a teaspoon;
Regular change of diapers/diapers. Despite frequent loose stools, it is necessary to change the child’s underwear every time it gets wet. This will allow you to subsequently avoid maceration (damage to the skin with the formation of “wet” areas) of the skin;
Monitor the child's condition. Excessive lethargy, a very weak cry, the appearance of “dangerous” symptoms - all these are signs of a severe course of the disease, and if they appear, it is recommended to seek emergency medical help.

In most young patients, the symptoms of the disease disappear within a few days, with adequate treatment. But at this time it is important to ensure proper care, which will have a positive impact on the child’s recovery process.

Prevention of rotavirus infection

How to protect yourself or your child from rotavirus infection? There are two main methods for this. The first is compliance with basic hygiene standards:

Regular hand washing (mandatory before eating/water);
Boiling any water you consume (except bottled water);
Thoroughly wash any consumed vegetables, fruits and berries with soap, followed by rinsing them with boiling water.

In most cases, these simple rules help prevent the development of the disease. However, it is quite difficult to ensure that the child adheres to them. As a special prophylaxis, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing pathology and completely eliminate the occurrence of severe forms of infection, vaccination can additionally be used.

Currently, 2 vaccines against this disease are available in Russia - RoTatek and Rotarix. They are only effective on children under two years of age. The drugs are manufactured in Europe, where they have undergone multiple clinical trials and proven their effectiveness. They are not included in the vaccination schedule, so in order to give them to your child, you must buy them yourself. average cost vaccines - about 5,000 rubles.

FAQ

Can rotavirus infection be treated with cola?

Since cola is considered a harmful carbonated drink, doctors (who have never experienced all the delights of rotavirus and the effectiveness of cola) do not recommend using this drink as a means of therapy. But, to stop vomiting and relieve nausea against the background of rotavirus infection, Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola are very effective. That is, it can be used at the first sign of infection.

If a child has had rotavirus once, can he get it again?

Yes. After this disease, immunity is formed, but it lasts only for a few weeks. To create lasting immunity, the use of vaccines is necessary.

How dangerous is this disease?

With timely and adequate treatment, the prognosis of the disease is favorable. As a rule, prolonged infection in children is dangerous younger age which occurs with severe dehydration.

Do I need to take Enterofuril or other antimicrobial agents?

Antibiotics are not indicated for this pathology, but Enterofuril (Ersefuril, Nifuroxazide, Ecofuril, Stopdiar) is prescribed to reduce the growth of opportunistic bacterial flora, which blooms against the background of a weakening of the intestinal immune response by the virus.

Should I take painkillers for abdominal cramps?

Severe pain that requires medication is not typical for rotavirus infection. The appearance of this symptom is a reason to seek medical help.

Rotavirus intestinal infection did not ignore a single person. Everyone (regardless of their immune status, gender and race) has suffered from this disease at least once. And those who were recently born will still have to get sick with rotavirus. That's why the famous pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky considers it his duty to tell parents what this disease is and how to act correctly when a child gets sick.

About the disease

Rotavirus infection is one of the types of acute intestinal infection. It is caused by a special type of virus - rotavirus, popularly this disease is often called “stomach flu”.

Evgeniy Komarovsky emphasizes that rotavirus has nothing to do with the influenza virus or any of its specific strains. Any flu can multiply and exist only on mucous membranes respiratory tract. With rotavirus everything is different, it “lives” in small intestine, and therefore calling it the flu in general is not very correct.

For the first time, a virus (under a microscope resembling a wheel with hubs and a rim, and therefore called “rota” - wheel (lat.)) was discovered in 1973 by Australian researchers. 98% of children under the age of 3 have already had this disease at least once (according to existing medical statistics).The virus is transmitted by contact - fecal-oral, this is popularly called “dirty hands disease”.

A baby can become infected from a sick person through toys, door handles, dishes, and household items. The virus is extremely contagious. Specific immunity Although it is produced for rotavirus, it has almost no significance, since this agent has a lot of strains and varieties. Humans are attacked by completely different “modifications” of rotavirus (science knows more than 9 of them, and mutations are still ongoing).

All varieties of this virus are quite resistant to low temperatures, exposure to sunlight and air. Enough for a long time rotavirus survives in spring and sea water.

The incubation period is the time that passes after the virus enters the body until the onset of acute stage diseases. This period of time varies for different children.

The virus accumulates and replicates, usually within 3-7 days. The disease itself lasts about 2-3 days, and the body takes at least another 5 days to recover after recovery.

A child is contagious all the time from the moment of infection until the end of the recovery period. Even if the baby already feels well, viable microparticles of the virus still continue to be released in the stool.

That is why Komarovsky strongly does not recommend sending him to kindergarten or school immediately after the child feels better. This will certainly lead to mass infection in the children's group.

The likelihood of infection with rotavirus does not in any way depend on the cleanliness of the family. Even if the mother washes and vacuums everything several times a day, if she forces the child to wash their hands with soap every hour, carefully monitors the quality of every product that ends up on the table, and does not allow them to drink water of dubious origin - all this does not reduce the risk of contracting rotavirus.

The virus most often attacks children aged 6 months to 2 years. In general, children from birth to 5 years of age are at risk. In a newborn, this disease occurs somewhat less frequently, since the first six months after birth the child is favorably influenced by the mother’s “innate” immunity, which usually lasts for a maximum of six months. Then the baby becomes more vulnerable.

The World Health Organization provides the following figures: every day on our planet, about 125 million children become infected with rotavirus. Most recover fairly quickly and on their own. 2 million children end up in hospitals, about 500 thousand toddlers die, but not from the rotavirus infection itself, but from the severe complications that occur during its course.

Symptoms

Evgeny Komarovsky claims that the vast majority of cases of unexplained diarrhea in children under three years of age are a manifestation of rotavirus infection. In other words, if the child has eaten everything he normally would and has no signs food poisoning, then stool disorder in 99% of cases indicates an attack by this particular type of virus.

Rotavirus infection manifests itself watery diarrhea. It is quite simple to distinguish it from poisoning (a disorder caused by bacteria) - the main clue for parents should be the consistency of the stool. Pasty diarrhea often occurs with food poisoning. Diarrhea “with water” is viral diarrhea, and, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, there are no other options.

With viral diarrhea, stool has a grayish color and a very strong, unpleasant odor. On days 2-3, the contents of the pot acquire a clayey consistency and a yellowish-gray color. The sour smell persists.

Rotavirus infection is characterized by sudden acute onset- with fever, vomiting. Sometimes vomit may have a specific odor of acetone; a child’s breath may smell similarly. At the next stage, enteritis and gastroenteritis, diarrhea develops (up to 10-12 trips to the toilet per day). Minor respiratory symptoms may appear - runny nose, sore throat, pain when swallowing, cough.

About treatment

Diarrhea due to rotavirus infection usually goes away within 2-3 days, but is fraught with quite serious danger dehydration. Almost all deaths that occurred with this disease became possible precisely because of critical loss of fluid and severe dehydration. How younger child, the faster he develops dehydration, the more dangerous the rotavirus is for him. The infection is most severe in infants.

Severe complication caused by rotavirus in severe dehydration - pneumonia. Many cases of dehydration are complicated by serious disorders of the nervous system. Rotavirus and dehydration are especially dangerous for underweight children.

The main thing that parents should learn to do is not even to determine the origin of the baby’s diarrhea, but to be able to quickly assess whether the child has signs of dehydration. Evgeniy Komarovsky recommends that in all cases of diarrhea in a small child, consult a doctor. But you can’t just sit still and do nothing; you have to watch carefully.

If a baby's tongue becomes dry, he begins to cry without tears, does not pee for more than 6 hours and practically does not sweat - this is a good reason to urgently call an ambulance. If the baby began to lose consciousness, his eyes “sunk”, and his facial features “sharpened”, his heat- these symptoms are extremely dangerous, they indicate severe dehydration. Doctors' help is required immediately.

If dehydration begins to occur in a child who cannot drink sufficient quantity fluids to restore balance in the body, requires intravenous administration of water. This is what the inpatient treatment will be based on.

If there are no signs of dehydration, parents can easily cope with rotavirus intestinal infection on their own. And here the main therapy will be to prevent the onset of dehydration. For this, the child needs to be given water. The more often the better. The drink should not be cold or hot, but only at room temperature, since this is the liquid that is absorbed most quickly in the small intestine. If the baby refuses to drink in sips, he needs to be fed with a teaspoon more often, but he must drink.

Further, Dr. Komarovsky advises giving special medications that should be in the first aid kit of every family with children - oral rehydration products (for example, “Regidron”, “Humana Electrolyte”). If there is no such medicine, it is not possible to buy it, Evgeniy Komarovsky recommends using a recipe approved by the World Health Organization: take 2 tablespoons of sugar, a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of soda per liter of water. The task of parents is to give their child this drink saline solution at any cost. If this does not work, it is better to immediately call an ambulance.

First aid

In general, says Komarovsky, the algorithm for reasonable parental actions in case of childhood diarrhea should always look like this:

Drink plenty of warm drinks. Frequent and fractional. Plain water and saline solution. If a child pees every 3 hours, it means he is consuming enough fluid to prevent dehydration. If you can’t get someone to drink even with a disposable syringe without a needle, call an ambulance.
Place the small child on his side so that in the event of an attack of vomiting he does not choke on the vomit.
Antipyretics- only if the temperature is above 38.5.
Monitor the child's condition and prevent dehydration. At the first symptoms of dehydration, call an ambulance.
Don't feed. If he really asks, give liquid porridge or puree in small quantities.

Before the doctor arrives, leave a diaper with stool or keep a sample of the contents of the potty to show the doctor. This way the doctor will be able to diagnose the disease faster, and the likelihood of errors will be reduced (rotavirus, for example, is very similar in initial stage for cholera).

It's a big mistake to give your child antibiotics. The disease is of viral origin, and antibacterial drugs are completely powerless against viruses. Treat a child with them viral diarrhea- a real parental crime, since it not only does not bring benefits, but also increases the likelihood of complications.

Another mistake that can cost parents dearly is the unauthorized prescription of antidiarrheal drugs (for example, Enterofuril). With rotavirus, viral particles (more precisely, their microparticles) are released in the stool. Therefore, stopping diarrhea means prolonging the disease, leaving viral particles in the small intestine, where they will continue to destroy beneficial cells for some time. There is no need to fight diarrhea, it's defense mechanism body.

Another misconception is the effectiveness of antiviral drugs for intestinal infections. A doctor called to your home will most likely prescribe something antiviral, because, according to Komarovsky, no doctor wants to have long conversations about the benefits drink plenty of fluids and thereby take responsibility for the situation.

Whether or not to take the prescribed tablets or syrups is up to you. But Komarovsky reminds us that it does not yet exist in nature antiviral drugs with clinically proven effectiveness. Moreover, the effectiveness of these drugs against a specific pathogen, rotavirus, has not been proven.

Worth giving up homeopathic remedies(“Anaferon”, “Ocillococinum”). With them, with their effectiveness and proven action, everything is even worse, and the purchase of such drugs, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, will just be an extra burden on the family budget.

Vaccination against rotavirus

Many countries have already included vaccination against rotavirus intestinal infection in their mandatory National Vaccination Schedules. In Russia there is no such mandatory practice yet. Vaccination against rotavirus, according to Western experts, helps reduce morbidity by 80% and reduces the risk of death by 45%. That is, infection remains possible, but the course of the disease will be milder.

Today in Russia you can get vaccinated against rotavirus, but only privately - in paid clinics. Two types of vaccine are used - the American Rotatek and the Belgian Rotarix.

Both vaccines are taken orally (as drops in the mouth). Both contain artificially weakened laboratory conditions live rotavirus in small quantities.

In most cases, the vaccine does not cause allergic reactions and side effects, it is quite easily tolerated even by the smallest patients. The recommended vaccination period is from 1.5 months to six months. It is not advisable for older children to be vaccinated. One of the vaccines is taken twice (with a break of 45 days), the second - in three doses (with similar breaks), and therefore it is better to do it at 2 and 4 months, and take the second vaccine according to the scheme - 2-4-5.5 months .

Naturally, vaccination will not be given to a child who is currently ill; rotavirus vaccination is also contraindicated for children with birth defects development gastrointestinal tract. Special training Vaccination against rotavirus is not required.

During the acute phase of the disease, you should not feed the child unless he asks for food himself.

You should adhere to a strict diet not only during treatment, but also for some time after recovery: completely exclude from the menu whole milk and dairy products, sweet fruits, baked goods, meat, as well as fatty and fried foods. It is healthy to eat porridge with water, vegetable soups, white bread crackers, and oven-baked apples. Feeding should be frequent and in small portions.

Very young children with rotavirus infection are not denied breast milk, no dietary restrictions are imposed, but they are ensured that they drink plenty of fluids. Breast milk itself contains antiviral components provided by nature, which will help the baby in the recovery process.

Occasionally, with a severe rotavirus infection, an infant may develop intolerance or partial intolerance due to an enzyme deficiency. breast milk. In this case, you should reduce the number of breastfeedings and temporarily add lactose-free infant formula to the baby’s diet (until complete recovery).

A child sick with rotavirus should not necessarily be put to bed. If he has a high temperature, then bed rest necessary. In all other cases, he should lead a normal lifestyle - play, walk. Of course, you should stay away from the yard playground so as not to spread the rotavirus to other children, but a walk in an uncrowded park or square will be beneficial.

Effective prevention of rotavirus, according to Komarovsky, should consist of vaccination. Only then should you wash your hands, always with soap, wash vegetables and fruits, and monitor the quality of the water your child drinks. To be fair, the doctor notes that no hygienic tricks can guarantee a low probability of infection. Therefore, both in developed and civilized countries and in third world countries, the incidence of rotavirus is at an equally high level.

If you are going to go to the sea with a small child, Komarovsky strongly recommends the rotavirus vaccine. Recently, this intestinal infection has become quite widespread at resorts, where children become infected with water. Most often, Rospotrebnadzor specialists “signal” about an unfavorable situation due to this disease on Black Sea coast Caucasus, Crimea and the coasts of Bulgaria.