| Theme | Infectious diseases of the intestine | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Diagnosis and treatment of norovirus and rotavirus infection pediatric patients | |
| Publish Date | 2019/04 | |
| Author | Mika Sasaki | Morioka Children's Hospital |
| Author | Tomoko Sasaki | Morioka Children's Hospital |
| Author | Shunichi Maisawa | Morioka Children's Hospital |
| [ Summary ] | Norovirus and rotavirus infection accounts for 70 % of viral enteritis in Japanese children. Every year norovirus and rotavirus gastroenteritis pandemics occur from fall to early spring in Japan because the viruses are very stable in the environment, the infection is established with a small amount of virus, and alcohol sterilization is not effective. Recently, we have easily been able to examine these viruses using antigen rapid tests with stools. Most children all over the world are infected with the rotavirus by 5 years old and they tend to be severe. Norovirus gastroenteritis is milder than the rotavirus infection, but the virus tends to mutate and there is an epidemic every year in every age group. Breast feeding is continued and oral rehydration therapy is started from the early stage of the gastroenteritis and formula or food is slowly reintroduced as soon as possible once the vomiting has stopped. Recently in Japan it has reported that the hospitalization rate fell by 84 % in the area where the Rota vaccine was used to inoculate 96 % of the infants, and the outpatient number was cut to about 50 % of the inoculation rate. | |