Rotavirus disease is most common in infants and young children, but adults and older children can also become infected with rotavirus. Once a person has been exposed to rotavirus, it takes about 2 days for symptoms to appear.
Symptoms include

• Fever
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain

Vomiting and watery diarrhea may last from 3 to 8 days in a child who is infected with rotavirus. Additional symptoms include loss of appetite and dehydration (loss of body fluids), which can be especially harmful for infants and young children.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated children may develop rotavirus disease more than once because there are many different types of rotavirus and because neither vaccine nor natural infection provides full immunity (protection) from future infections. Usually a person’s first infection with rotavirus causes the most severe symptoms.

Rotavirus spreads easily among young children. Children can spread the virus both before and after they become sick with diarrhea. They can also pass rotavirus to family members and other people with whom they have close contact.
Rotavirus is shed (passed from a person’s body into the environment) in feces (stool) of infected persons. The virus spreads by the fecal-oral route; this means that the virus must be shed by an infected person and then enter a susceptible person’s mouth to cause infection.
Rotavirus can be spread by contaminated

• Hands
• Objects (toys, surfaces)
• Food
• Water

Rotavirus infections can cause diarrhea in adults who care for children, in older adults, and in adults who are traveling. Children are most likely to get rotavirus in the winter and spring (December through June).

There is no antiviral drug to treat rotavirus infection. Antibiotic drugs will not help; this is because antibiotics fight against bacteria not viruses.
Rotavirus infection can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. This can lead to dehydration (loss of body fluids). During rotavirus infection, infants and young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses are most at risk for dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration in children and adults include

• Decrease in urination
• Dry mouth and throat
• Feeling dizzy when standing up

A dehydrated child may also cry with few or no tears and be unusually sleepy or fussy.
Dehydration can lead to other serious problems. Severe dehydration may require hospitalization for treatment with intravenous (IV) fluids (fluids given to the patient directly through their veins). The best way to protect against dehydration is to drink plenty of liquids (oral rehydration therapy). The most helpful fluids for this purpose are oral rehydration fluids (ORF)
Severe dehydration can be serious. If you think you or someone you are caring for is severely dehydrated, contact your doctor.