Rotavirus intestinal infection in adults

Symptoms of rotavirus infection

The first symptoms in adults appear within a day, sometimes two days after infection. In children, the incubation period lasts from seven hours to a day. The younger the patient, the faster the pathogens develop. The infection is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• nausea;
• vomit;
• stool with mucus and undigested food;
• pale skin;
• temperature fluctuations;
• headache.

Dizziness, fainting, apathy and drowsiness often occur. The progression of the disease is characterized by muscle cramps in the limbs and abdominal pain. Patients resort to self-medication, taking Polysorb, Enterofuril and other drugs with similar effects. But such symptoms can be provoked by any infectious lesions of the gastrointestinal tract.

Prevention will help minimize the risk of infection.

With rotavirus infection, the temperature remains high for no more than three days. Other symptoms, even with effective treatment, persist for up to a week.

Symptoms of rotavirus

The occurrence of infection begins with the penetration of the pathogen into the human body. There it becomes embedded in the digestive tract and provokes the development of symptoms. The first signs are observed after the incubation period, which lasts 2-3 days, a maximum of a week.

In most cases, the disease occurs in an acute form with a clear clinical picture. Symptoms of an infectious condition are:

1. ​Increase in body temperature. As a rule, it lasts no longer than 4-5 days and is accompanied by general weakness, malaise, headache and lack of appetite.
2. Vomiting is characteristic of rotavirus and can occur in mild, moderate and severe forms. Lasts 1-2 days. When profuse vomiting occurs, it causes dehydration.
3. Diarrhea - develops separately or together with vomiting. The stool is very copious, liquid, similar to water, with foam and various impurities, even streaks of blood. Sometimes mucus is present, and the stool has an unpleasant sour smell. The duration of diarrhea is 4-5 days, with a frequency of up to 5 times a day. Diarrhea is almost always accompanied by flatulence.
4. ​Pain syndrome. Has a different nature of intensity and localization. More often the pain is acute, less often it is cramping.
5. ​Dehydration of the body. Appears against a background of vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, fluid loss leads to the development of seizures and loss of important electrolytes with fluid. This condition is very dangerous and requires timely treatment.
6. Catarrhal phenomena. Characterized by cough, impaired nasal breathing, throat hyperemia and soreness.

Complications of infection

Diarrhea due to rotavirus infection contains mucus and remains of undigested food. But there are no bloody clots or greenery in it. Watery stools persist for the first three days. Then it acquires a thicker consistency and a characteristic gray-yellow tint.

The body is able to produce antibodies itself, provided that the immune system is actively functioning. Otherwise, tablets and gels are prescribed for treatment. If you do nothing, the disease will lead to the following complications:

• hemorrhagic gastroenteritis;

• infectious-toxic kidney;
• renal failure;
• necrotizing enterocolitis.

In rare cases, Gasser syndrome develops. Each complication is accompanied by individual symptoms. Pathologies complicate the treatment of rotavirus infection. Properly selected antiviral and antiemetic drugs help stop the course of the disease.

Having been ill in childhood, an adult acquires antibodies. But immunity is fragile. If the number of antibodies decreases, re-infection is possible. It is characterized by a severe course, intense manifestation of symptoms, and rapid development of complications.

First aid

The incubation period for children ranges from seven hours to a day. In adults it increases to two days. The disease is contagious, so you need to call an ambulance. A medical specialist will examine the patient and determine what to do next. Before the ambulance arrives, it is permissible to:

• reassure the patient;
• put to bed, reduce physical activity as much as possible;
• give sweet and sour fruit drinks, juices, water.

An adult patient with a temperature above 38.5 can be given a remedy based on ibuprofen or paracetamol. It is forbidden to give it to a child, as this can cause a negative reaction in the body and provoke the development of complications. Often patients independently exclude rotavirus due to vaccination.

Artificial formation of antibodies is temporary. Once their levels drop, an adult or child can contract rotavirus. In this case, the incubation period may increase by five to six hours.

Complex therapy

Treatment of rotavirus is complex. Therapy is aimed at eliminating symptoms. The doctor analyzes the patient’s condition and studies the clinical picture. Then he selects an individual treatment regimen.

Antibiotics are prescribed only when there is a parallel development of a bacterial infection.

Antiviral drugs rarely produce positive results, especially in adult patients. Therefore, the leading symptoms are taken into account. A number of medications may be prescribed:

1. Vomit
   . For frequent vomiting that does not stop on its own, Cerucal is prescribed. In children it is possible to eliminate it using folk remedies.
   Read also:  Yellow feces: what does it mean?
2. Diarrhea
   . For prolonged diarrhea, Loperamide is prescribed. Do not take if you have gastroenteritis.
3. Intoxication
   . Oral and parenteral administration of solutions. It is permissible to administer Hemodez, Poliglyukin.
4. Dysbacteriosis
   . Enterofuril is often prescribed to restore microflora.

Signs and symptoms of rotavirus with fever in children and adults should subside on the third day. If fever, diarrhea and vomiting persist longer, you should contact a medical facility. Be sure to prescribe medications to restore the immune system. Also be sure to increase the volume of fluid consumed to prevent dehydration.

Manifestation of the gastric form of coronavirus

In adults, adolescents and children, symptomatic indicators are somewhat different. Most often, the gastric form is detected in the younger generation; it is believed that this is due to neglect of the rules and norms of hygiene. At the same time, other manifestations of covid are usually absent.

In adults

Nausea as a sign of the development of the intestinal form of coronavirus in adults often occurs against the background of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. The main danger for humans is that as Covid progresses, there is a high probability of problems with the respiratory system. For this reason, if nausea occurs, you should monitor for other signs of the inflammatory process provoked by SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, it is worth monitoring blood saturation and body temperature.

In children

Regardless of age, in the younger generation the cause of nausea and vomiting when infected with coronavirus infection is intoxication. As evidence of the development of the inflammatory process - increased body temperature. Nausea in children appears immediately after coughing - the nerve centers responsible for both processes are close.

Infants of zero age are included in a separate category, since they tolerate the disease most easily. At the same time, their gastrointestinal disorders occur in a non-classical form. Most often, a baby experiences stomach colic due to an increase in temperature. Coronavirus disease does not cause respiratory dysfunction, and all symptoms disappear within 2-3 days.

Treatments to relieve symptoms

Signs of rotavirus without fever in children and adults include diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, and profuse vomiting. The doctor will prescribe special nutrition and medications. Treatment is specific and affects the symptoms. The following therapy will be required:

• elimination of diarrhea with medications;
• removal of toxic substances by means that have a sorbing effect;
• restoration of pancreas function;
• restoration of a normal intestinal environment.

To eliminate spasms and convulsions, antispasmodic drugs are prescribed. This includes diet. For the first three days, the patient drinks tea, eats crackers and dried fruits. Then the broth is gradually introduced, and hard-boiled eggs are fed.

Depending on the clinical picture, heavy drinking is prescribed from the fifth day.

Rotavirus in children and adults should be treated strictly according to the prescribed treatment regimen. Ignoring the instructions will lead to the development of concomitant pathologies. During the treatment period, it is also prohibited to consume foods that require a large number of enzymes to break down. Otherwise, you can provoke lactose deficiency.

Review of effective drugs

There is no medical vaccine that specifically treats rotavirus. Therefore, treatment is carried out comprehensively. For rotavirus, adults need to take medications that relieve symptoms.

For severe diarrhea and vomiting, your doctor may prescribe a special rehydration solution. It should be given to a patient at high risk of dehydration due to elevated temperature. The powder is diluted and drunk in small sips every ten minutes. It is permissible to replace Rehydron with saline solution.

What drugs should not be used?

You should not take antibiotics if you have rotavirus. They are not effective, and they additionally burden the body’s systems. Depending on how many antibiotics the patient took, various complications and pathological conditions may develop:

• dysbacteriosis;
• thrush;
• dysfunction of the liver, kidneys;
• dysfunction of the cardiovascular system.

Low-grade fever does not drop to 38.5. The body independently fights infected cells. If the temperature rises higher, then take antipyretic medications. Also, if you have rotavirus, you should not:

• stop diarrhea and vomiting in the first days of treatment on your own;
• feed an adult or child against desire;
• drink alcohol, smoke;
• flush the stomach.

At the first sign of diarrhea, patients resort to home remedies. But this does not allow the body to get rid of pathogenic cells. By eliminating the symptom in the first days, the patient actually prolongs the development of the virus in the intestines. It is worth closely monitoring the patient's condition. Against the background of rotavirus, dehydration, dysbacteriosis, and weakened immunity often progress.

Folk remedies

First of all, the patient adjusts the menu and follows a diet. With weak and moderate development of the disease, most symptoms subside with a change in diet. It is easy to get infected from a patient, so they can put him in the infectious diseases department, or create isolation conditions at home.

Treating an intestinal infection on your own is dangerous, as it can provoke the development of liver and kidney pathologies.

Folk remedies are often combined with therapy prescribed by a doctor. Rosehip decoction is widely used. Three tablespoons of berries are poured into three glasses of boiling water. Boil, simmer for a quarter of an hour and cool without removing the lid. The decoction is filtered and drunk throughout the day. The product helps restore water balance, strengthen the intestines, and reduce the intensity of symptoms.

Users who have recovered from rotavirus are advised to purchase juniper berries. Five berries are chewed as long as possible. Enhances the effect of treating the disease, has a disinfectant, antibacterial and weak anti-inflammatory effect. A decoction of walnut partitions has a similar effect. No folk remedy can replace treatment by a medical specialist.

Diet for children and adults

There is no way to quickly get rid of the disease. Symptoms are especially intense in the first three days after the activation of pathogens. A person with a strong immune system may not require treatment. Symptoms gradually fade away, the temperature disappears. The body independently fights and removes cells affected by the virus.

For treatment, folk remedies, medications, and dietary adjustments are used. The doctor prescribes a diet, regardless of the patient’s age. To overcome the intestinal virus, exclude from the daily diet:

• canned food, sausages, cheeses;
• raw and smoked fish;
• cabbage, radish, onion, garlic;
• chocolate, sweets, pastries;
• dairy and fermented milk products.

Fresh bread is completely replaced with crackers. Also, do not drink large amounts of mineral water containing mineral salts. The doctor may prescribe a certain daily dose of mineral water for a specific table.

From the third day the patient is fed chicken broth and boiled eggs. Rice porridge with water is suitable, without adding oil. Serve in small portions, divided into several portions. This way you can avoid repeated bouts of vomiting. The amount of food cannot be forcibly increased; feeding the patient against his will is also not worth it. Often adults exclude the consumption of any food in the first two days.

Review

Rotavirus infection (rotavirus gastroenteritis, intestinal flu) is an intestinal infection that occurs with fever, vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes accompanied by cold symptoms.

Outbreaks of rotavirus infection are typical for the autumn-winter season, for which it is often called intestinal or stomach flu. In fact, influenza and rotavirus gastroenteritis are completely different diseases. The causative agent of the latter is rotavirus, an RNA-containing virus that, at high magnification, resembles a wheel with spokes.

Rotavirus is very contagious and is easily transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person through the fecal-oral route, that is, through dirty hands. Poorly washed food, children's toys, and contaminated water can also be sources of infection. There is a possibility of rotavirus transmission through airborne droplets.

In Russia, rotavirus gastroenteritis is the cause of 7-35% of all intestinal infections, depending on the time of year. Anyone can become infected, regardless of age and gender. However, children are more often and more seriously ill. Among children's intestinal infections, rotavirus accounts for about 60%. In adults, stomach flu is most often caused by norovirus or food poisoning.

Additional Information

Preventive measures help avoid infection. The incubation period can last up to two days. More often, infection occurs on the beach or in a shopping center. In crowded areas, the risk is always higher. Therefore, you should follow the recommendations:

• wash your hands regularly;
• keep the house clean;
• regularly carry out wet cleaning;
• drink purified, bottled water;

• eat only in safe places.

Preventive vaccination reduces the risk of infection. There is no single cure for rotavirus. Complex symptomatic treatment is used. It is necessary to take antipyretic and antiemetic drugs. Medicines are used that stop diarrhea only on the third or fourth day. Taking antibiotics is prohibited.

Symptomatic treatment alleviates symptoms already on the third day. The temperature is eliminated, the frequency of vomiting and diarrhea is reduced. If there is no improvement, then you need to visit a medical facility. The doctor will adjust the treatment regimen.