Gastroenteritis - Answers inflammation of the lining of the intestine, leading to diarrhea
- More than ½ of all cases of acute diarrhea are of viral origin
- Incubation period of 1-4 days before abrupt onset of vomiting, followed by diarrhea and mild fever
- Dehydration results due to severe loss of electrolytes and fluids (can be fatal if untreated)
Viruses that cause gastroenteritis - Answers 1. Reoviridae [rotavirus]
2. Adenovirus (Types 40 and 41)
3. Calcivirus [Norovirus]
4. Astrovirus
Viruses that cause gastroenteritis: Reoviridae - Answers Respiratory and enteric orphan virus [dsRNA]
- Rotavirus [segmented dsRNA]: severe gastroenteritis in young children
Viruses that cause gastroenteritis: adenovirus (Types 40 and 41) - Answers DNA genome (nuclear
replication)
- endemic diarrheal illness in children
Viruses that cause gastroenteritis: calcivirus - Answers ss +RNA genome
- norovirus: acute gastroenteritis in all age groups
Viruses that cause gastroenteritis: astrovirus - Answers Ss + RNA genome
, - mild diarrheal illness in infants, young children, and the elderly
Rotavirus statistics - Answers 75-90% children infected <5-yr-old.
Worldwide:
- 39% of children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis.
- Kills >1/2 million children per yr. mainly in developing countries
USA:
- Affects 1.2 million children per year
- ~10,000 hospitalized with severe illness.
* infections predominate during winter season
* symptomatic infections most common in children between 6 months and 2 years
Rotavirus:
transmission
site of infection - Answers Transmission:
- fecal-oral
- nosocomial
Site of infection: tips of villi of small intestine
- 1-4 days incubation
*rotaviruses are ubiquitous