All age groups are susceptible to rotavirus infection, but children six months to 2 years of age, premature infants, the elderly, and the immune-compromised are particularly prone to more severe symptoms. Outbreaks of rotavirus diarrhea are common among hospitalized infants, young children attending day care centers and elderly persons in nursing homes. The incubation period ranges from one to three days. Symptoms often start with vomiting followed by four to eight days of diarrhea. Temporary lactose intolerance may occur.
Recovery is usually complete.
Fluid and electrolyte replacement is important especially in cases of severe diarrhea. Infected food handlers may contaminate foods that require handling and no further cooking, such as salads, fruits and hors d oeuvres. Thus the best means of prevention of illness is by proper hand washing after using the bathroom or changing soiled diapers, especially before handling foods. Although the rotavirus and the Norwalk family of viruses are the leading causes of viral gastroenteritis, a number of other viruses have been implicated in outbreaks, including astroviruses, caliciviruses, enteric adenoviruses and parvoviruses. Astroviruses cause sporadic gastroenteritis in children under 4 years of age and account for about 4 percent of the cases hospitalized for diarrhea.