Concepts and causes of the disease
Recently, rotavirus and norovirus were not separated, and the diagnosis was rotavirus infection. The types of intestinal diseases are similar, but the symptoms and course of the disease differ.
Norovirus infection was discovered in the early 70s of the twentieth century in the USA. Infection occurs in public places (kindergartens, educational, entertainment institutions), through contact, in the presence of the virus in the air. Norovirus affects all people, but children and people with weakened immune systems suffer more severely.
50% of infectious diseases in adults and 30% in schoolchildren are caused by noroviruses. Children under seven years of age are more likely to get rotavirus.
Norovirus infection is transmitted through the oral-fecal and respiratory routes. The virus is acquired through unwashed vegetables, fruits, unboiled water, door handles, and toilet rims.
Norovirus intestinal infection is contagious. The virus is resilient and is not afraid of cold or hot temperatures; killed by cleaning disinfectants with chlorine.
A person who has recovered from the infection develops immunity to infection for up to 7-8 weeks.
Rotavirus infection, intestinal flu, is an infectious disease caused by rotavirus. The infection affects adults and children. The patient is contagious throughout the entire period of illness, about a week. A person who has recovered from the disease develops immunity to rotavirus.
The cause of infection is eating unwashed vegetables and fruits, and eating food with dirty hands.
You can catch the infection through the respiratory route, by coughing or runny nose. Rotaviruses tolerate cold and do not die in chlorinated water.
What are the symptoms of rotavirus and norovirus?
The symptoms of the diseases are very similar. “They are manifested by high fever, severe intoxication, weakness, abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, nausea, and repeated vomiting,” says infectious disease doctor Sofia Rusanova .
The incubation period for rotavirus is from 15 hours to 7 days. With rotavirus infection, a person often experiences cramping pain in the lower abdomen, he may begin to vomit (usually it stops by the end of the first day of the acute period) and diarrhea. Headache, muscle weakness, dizziness and, in children, fever may also be present. Rotavirus infection manifests itself quickly: symptoms reach their maximum development after 12-24 hours, and in general the disease can last from 3 to 10 days.
With norovirus, the first symptoms appear 15-48 hours after infection. This also includes acute diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, headache, and there may also be fever and symptoms of acute respiratory infections. The disease begins with a sharp rise in temperature, followed by vomiting and diarrhea. Signs of the disease disappear after 12-72 hours.
Is it true that another deadly flu is coming to us? More details
Determining the type of virus
Patients do not immediately pay attention to ailments in the gastrointestinal tract. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the faster the recovery.
To determine the difference between norovirus and rotavirus, the manifestations of illnesses are described.
Common signs of infections
Signs of rotavirus and norovirus infection:
- Diarrhea.
- Pain in the stomach area.
- Vomiting, nausea.
Characteristic signs of infections
Intestinal infections are confusing. There are differences in determining the type of virus and prescribing medications.
Intestinal flu or rotavirus is characterized by an acute manifestation of the disease - vomiting, diarrhea, elevated body temperature (more than 38-39 degrees). Those infected develop cold symptoms – sore throat, nasal congestion. Patients complain of weakness, aching joints, and loss of appetite.
Norovirus in humans
Norovirus has a slow onset. You begin to feel unwell within the first 24 hours after being infected with the virus. Vomiting, frequent diarrhea, low temperature (37-37.5 degrees), chills, and headache begin. Vomiting is observed, and the infected person chalks it up to ordinary food poisoning.
The infection goes away on its own in 1-3 days, in severe cases – up to 7 days.
Table of differences in symptoms, method of infection, course of the disease
Here you can learn more about the manifestations of pathologies.
| Norovirus | Rotavirus | |
| Clinical picture | ||
| Diarrhea | + | + |
| Pain in the upper epigastric region | + | + |
| Burning in the stomach area | + | |
| Bitter taste | + | |
| Attacks of nausea | + | + |
| Overtemperature | + | |
| Feverish state | + | |
| Vomit | + | + |
| Headache | + | |
| Increased sweating, general weakness | + | |
| Transmission routes | Fecal-oral, respiratory, personal contact, household | Same methods. Airborne in doubt |
| Incubation period | The average value is 1.5 days. From 4 to 77 hours. | Most often 1–2 days. Possibly from 10–12 hours to 4 days. |
| Duration of illness | Diarrhea lasts up to 3 days, less often up to 7 | 2–3 days |
It is noticeable from the table that the symptoms and course of the disease differ, but only an experienced infectious disease specialist can make an accurate diagnosis.
Determining the type of virus
When visiting a doctor, it is necessary to describe the clinical picture in detail so that the physician can determine the type of pathogen and prescribe the optimal treatment.
Common signs of infections
Norovirus and rotavirus have virtually no differences in the main symptoms. The patient has:
- diarrhea;
- pain in the epigastrium;
- nausea;
- urge to vomit.
But a thorough description allows you to determine a significant difference.
Characteristic signs of infections
Rotavirus is characterized by:
- Acute course.
- Almost simultaneously, diarrhea and nausea develop, and the temperature rises to 38–39 degrees.
- Rhinitis, sore throat, loss of appetite, aching joints, common with colds, appear.
Differences in norovirus infection:
- Malaise is felt already on the first day of infection, but the clinical picture develops gradually.
- There is diarrhea and vomiting, but the temperature is low-grade.
- Headache and chills are noted.
- More often than not, the patient is sure that he has received food poisoning.
The most severe pathology caused by rotavirus occurs in small children. At the first signs, it is advisable to consult a doctor and not self-medicate.
Necessary measures in case of virus infection
Rotavirus and norovirus infections require different approaches to treatment.
Mild cases of norovirus infection do not require medication. The virus goes away on its own, without serious consequences. For patients - drink plenty of water at room temperature to prevent dehydration, rest.
It is advisable to drink liquid after each attack of diarrhea, follow a diet (chicken broth, fresh compote from dried apples). If the condition has improved, the diet is followed for a couple of days.
At home, make a special solution to normalize the water-salt balance. Take two tablespoons of sugar, one teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon of salt, pour in a liter of warm boiled water.
For norovirus infection, antidiarrheal medications are prohibited: they cause serious consequences.
For frequent vomiting, the doctor prescribes Promethazine, Ondansetron, Prochlorperazine. In severe cases, the patient is hospitalized and given drips with electrolytes: Trisol, Disol.
There are no special medications to treat rotavirus. They give medications that reduce the manifestations of infection. If there is no appetite, the patient is given light chicken soup and fruit jelly.
It is prohibited to include dairy and lactic acid products in the diet: milk is the optimal environment for the growth of bacteria.
With severe vomiting and diarrhea, intoxication of the body is dangerous. Infected people are given a warm liquid, a special solution (a teaspoon of salt is poured into a liter of water).
Take food and water often, in small portions, so as not to provoke another attack of vomiting. Electrolyte drips are prescribed for severe cases of dehydration.
The doctor prescribes sorbents to remove toxins from the body: Enterosgel, Smecta, Activated carbon. For rotavirus infection, it is recommended to take medications against diarrhea - Enterofuril is prescribed. To improve digestion, patients are prescribed Pancreatin and Mezim.
Intestinal flu is accompanied by elevated body temperature. The use of antipyretic drugs - if the patient cannot tolerate a temperature of up to 38 degrees: high temperature kills the virus.
They use physical methods to lower body temperature: washing with warm water, ventilating the room in the absence of the patient.
When the patient feels better, they are prescribed probiotics that restore the flora of the intestinal mucosa: Acipol, Probifor, Linex.
If norovirus with rotavirus is severe, make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. If there are no complications, contact your local physician or gastroenterologist.
During the post-infection period, consult a nutritionist. The doctor will prescribe food to normalize digestion. Follow your diet during treatment.
What is the difference between rotavirus and norovirus, preventive measures.
These viruses are different from each other, otherwise they would have the same name. See for yourself by reading the data in the table.
| Rotavirus | Norovirus | |
| Symptoms | ||
| Diarrhea | + | + |
| Pain in the upper abdomen | + | + |
| Burning in the stomach area | + | |
| Bitter taste in mouth | + | |
| Nausea | + | + |
| Fever | + | |
| Weakness and profuse sweating | + | |
| Vomit | + | + |
| Headache | + | |
| Chills | + | |
| Spreading | Fecal-oral, airborne, when interacting with other people and household objects | Fecal-oral, airborne, when interacting with other people and household objects |
| Incubation period | From 10-12 hours to 4 days (usually 24-48 hours after infection) | From 4 to 77 hours (average 36 hours) |
| Duration of the disease | 2-3 days | Diarrhea lasts up to 3 days, in severe cases up to 7 days |
1. Rotavirus – diarrhea and high fever,
norovirus - vomiting
The symptoms of these viruses, as we have already seen, are similar, but if there is a difference, then this is symptom number one.
“In case of illness with norovirus
This is vomiting; there may not be a high temperature at all.
For rotavirus
almost always, diarrhea appears first, which is accompanied by elevated body temperature,” instead of diarrhea there may be vomiting, if it does not occur immediately, then it may appear a little later.
2. Rotavirus manifests itself clearly,
norovirus - hidden
«Rotavirus usually begins very acutely
: diarrhea, fever, vomiting.
Norovirus is trickier.
It all starts with vomiting, but there is no fever and most immediately chalk it up not to a virus, but to ordinary food poisoning.
You regulate your diet for a while, it seems to be better, but there is some weakness.
Several days or even a week pass and the vomiting occurs again.
The temperature usually rises on the 3-4th or even 7th day of the virus,” that is, if the rotavirus
manifests itself in all its glory at once, then
norovirus
manifests itself in waves, increasing in intensity, masquerading as a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.
“Therefore, rotavirus can be diagnosed faster, while norovirus gives up to two or three exacerbations, everything seemed to be fine, 4 days passed and again vomited 2-3 times.”
3. Children get sick more from rotavirus
norovirus – older children
This is confirmed by statistics from the Latvian Infectology Center.
Rotavirus affects young children under two years of age, especially from 6 to 23 months. Whereas norovirus affects older children, including teenagers.
4. With rotavirus, rapid dehydration occurs,
norovirus itself releases substances that poison the body
In both cases, the body is susceptible to dehydration, but the reasons are different.
In the case of rotavirus, the body loses fluid through diarrhea and vomiting and it is very important to restore it.
In the case of norovirus, dehydration can occur not only as a result of vomiting, but also if the virus remains an unidentified object in the body for too long, hiding under various other diseases, the same poisoning.
5. Rotavirus is more severe than norovirus
Not always, but as practice shows, children are admitted to the hospital more often with rotavirus than with norovirus.
“Norovirus passes a little more smoothly, it lasts longer compared to rotavirus. Rotavirus has a higher hospitalization rate than norovirus."
General prevention tips:
— wash your hands often, especially after using the toilet, before and after preparing food, when changing a diaper, after any contact with someone with an infection;
- thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits purchased in a store or at the market;
- regularly ventilate the room you are in;
- take frequent walks in the fresh air;
— avoid visiting places with large crowds of people (do not take your child to the store, etc.)
- do not take very young children (one, two, three months) on trips abroad; their immunity is not strong and they are susceptible to various diseases.
If your child is sick:
- do not finish eating or drinking for a child who has an intestinal infection; parents often forget about this and get sick themselves;
- in case of illness, you definitely need to drink, but do not force the child to drink a lot right away - offer him liquid in small portions (2-3 sips, after a few minutes again 2-3 sips, etc.). In addition, it is recommended to drink Regidron.
- food can be taken no earlier than 4 hours after vomiting;
- exclude all dairy products from your diet, including not cooking porridge with milk.
Do not take your child to kindergarten if the first signs of illness appear, go to the doctor - otherwise the child may infect other children in the group and staff.
Prevention during the period of registration of cases:
— Visit public places less
- Wash your hands often
— Buy hand sanitizer
— Carry out a course of treatment with the antiviral drug “Arbidol” and immunomodulators.
From the lips of the nurses:
— Immunity to roto and norovirus lasts for six months after the illness. After this time, the person may become infected again.
— These diseases are transmitted not only by contact, but also by airborne droplets. So, especially in the winter months, we are practically defenseless.
— For diarrhea and vomiting of 10 kilograms of weight, a person should drink 1 liter of water, preferably salted.
- Do not give your child anything to drink immediately after vomiting. Wait five minutes, give a spoonful of water to drink, if after 5-10 minutes the vomiting does not recur, continue giving water. It is advisable to do this every 15-20 minutes so that the body is replenished with fluid reserves.
Be sure to consult a doctor if:
Vomiting and diarrhea in a child does not stop (dehydration in very young children can occur in a matter of hours, do not get carried away with self-medication).
The temperature rises (especially dangerous if the temperature “exceeds” 39 and does not go down).
The child's mouth is dry and his tongue is white.
The child is inactive and looks tired.
If during pinching, the skin sticks and does not take its original position.
In fact, all of the above already indicates that the child is in an extremely serious condition.
Be careful, it is very important to see the line when you should not skip to the hospital or, conversely, when it is simply necessary.
Disease Prevention
In case of infections, it is important to prevent illness. Vaccinations against intestinal infections norovirus and rotavirus have not been developed. It is recommended to follow preventive measures to prevent viruses: they are resilient in nature.
After purchasing food in a store or market, rinse under running water and rinse with boiling water. Pay attention to the expiration dates of dairy and lactic acid products: spoiled products may contain pathogenic microbes. Use boiled water for food. When visiting a pool, lake, or river, do not swallow water.
If an infected person lives in the apartment, carefully observe hygiene. It is better to allocate a separate room for the patient.
Clean floors and surfaces touched by the sick person daily with chlorine disinfectants. Wash clothes and bedding in a machine at temperatures above 60 degrees.
It is important to seek treatment from medical institutions.
Features of intestinal infections in children
Parents are faced with the appearance of symptoms of intestinal infection in their children every day. Children are more likely to get rotavirus, while older children are more likely to get norovirus. Infections occur in public places (kindergarten, school, additional education group) visited by the child.
Preschool children need control - they put everything in their mouth.
The task of parents is to instill in their children the rules of personal hygiene from an early age to reduce the risk of infection.
What parents should do at the first signs of infection
At the first signs of intestinal infections, contact your pediatrician. Prescribe appropriate treatment.
In case of severe illness, immediately call an ambulance. It is prohibited to give a child painkillers without a doctor’s prescription: the diagnosis will be erroneous.
In children, intoxication of the body occurs faster. If your child gets sick, be there and monitor your well-being.
If signs of illness occur, fluids are given to avoid dehydration.
The liquid is offered in small portions (a teaspoon) at intervals of 15-20 minutes. The drugs “Regidron”, “Hydrovit”, “Hydrovit forte” are suitable. Cefekon and Nurofen syrups will help reduce fever.
Suppositories are ineffective in the presence of diarrhea. If rotavirus is detected, the pediatrician prescribes a course of Enterofuril in the form of a suspension.
