How is rotavirus spread?
Rotavirus is very easy to catch. Large amounts of rotavirus are shed in the stool of infected persons and rotavirus is easily spread on contaminated hands and objects. Children can spread rotavirus both before and after they become sick with diarrhea. They can sometimes pass the virus to other members of the family and close contacts. In the U.S., rotavirus infections can cause diarrhea in adults caring for children, in the elderly, and in adults who are traveling, but less often than in children. • Can a person get rotavirus gastroenteritis more than once? There are a number of different strains of rotavirus than cause gastroenteritis in humans; four strains are common in the United States. Children can be infected with rotavirus more than once, but usually the first infection is most severe and each subsequent infection causes less severe disease. Top • How is rotavirus gastroenteritis treated? Giving special fluids by mouth (oral rehydration therapy) is the most effective treatment.
