Rotavirus is a stomach illness that primarily affects infants and those with weak immune systems, causing vomiting and diarrhea that can quickly lead to dangerous dehydration.
The cycle of illness can escalate rapidly, according to Dr. Daniel Meltzer, an emergency room physician and Executive Medical Director for Regence BlueShield of Idaho.
"The challenge with gastrointestinal illness is because of the profound fluid losses that one can experience either in vomiting or diarrhea, and because you're vomiting, you can't then take anything in your mouth, and you kind of get into the cycle where the more vomiting you do, the more dehydrated you get, the more dehydrated you get, the more vomiting [sic]," explained Meltzer. "It really can lead to what we call 'cardiovascular collapse,' where you just drop your blood pressure."
While rotavirus is rarely fatal, Dr. Meltzer says parents should consult a physician if their child is lethargic and hard to wake.
A simple oral vaccine can significantly reduce the severity of the illness and should be given in the first 8 months of a child's life.
"So with the oral immunization, oral vaccination. About 90% of the severe symptoms are completely eliminated. So the real severe symptoms, the need for hospitalization goes away 9 out of 10 times, and 70% of people, particularly infants— that have that immunization— will have full protection," Dr. Meltzer said.
For those who do contract rotavirus after being vaccinated, the immunization will likely shorten the duration of illness to just a day or two.
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