Diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe childhood gastroenteritis. Each year, rotavirus is responsible for about 25 million clinic visits, two million hospital admissions, and 180 000-450 000 deaths in children under 5 years of age globally.1 2 3 Although rotavirus infection is prevalent worldwide,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ (Online) 2013-12, Vol.347 (dec30 1), p.f7204-f7204
Main Authors: Parashar, Umesh D, Nelson, E Anthony S, Kang, Gagandeep
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Child
Child, Preschool
Children
CLINICAL REVIEW
Developing countries
Diarrhea
Disease
Disease prevention
Fever
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis - diagnosis
Gastroenteritis - prevention & control
Gastroenteritis - therapy
Gastroenteritis - virology
Hospitals
Humans
Illnesses
Immunization
Infant
Infections
LDCs
Medical diagnosis
Mortality
Rotavirus
Rotavirus Infections - diagnosis
Rotavirus Infections - prevention & control
Rotavirus Infections - therapy
Rotavirus Vaccines - therapeutic use
Vaccines
Viruses
Vomiting
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Summary:Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe childhood gastroenteritis. Each year, rotavirus is responsible for about 25 million clinic visits, two million hospital admissions, and 180 000-450 000 deaths in children under 5 years of age globally.1 2 3 Although rotavirus infection is prevalent worldwide, most deaths from this infection occur in developing countries (fig 1?). Gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus cannot be clinically distinguished from that caused by other enteric pathogens; diagnosis requires testing of fecal specimens with commercially available assays. However, rotavirus is not routinely tested for in patients with gastroenteritis because the results do not alter clinical management, which relies mainly on appropriate rehydration therapy. Orally administered live attenuated vaccines that mimic natural infection offer the best protection against rotavirus. Two licensed rotavirus vaccines have been available since 2006 and have been implemented in many countries. We review approaches to diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis.
ISSN:0959-8138
1756-1833
1756-1833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.f7204