US Rotavirus Surge: CDC Warns of Infant Hospitalization Risk
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about elevated levels of rotavirus across the United States, noting the virus is causing severe vomiting and...
- Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that spreads through contact with contaminated surfaces followed by touching the mouth.
- The oral rotavirus vaccine, administered starting at two months of age, has been highly effective in preventing severe disease, with the CDC estimating it prevents 40,000 to 50,000...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about elevated levels of rotavirus across the United States, noting the virus is causing severe vomiting and diarrhea in infants and young children, with health officials expressing concern that declining vaccination rates could lead to increased hospitalizations and more serious illness.
Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that spreads through contact with contaminated surfaces followed by touching the mouth. It is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in babies and young children, often resulting in dehydration that requires medical intervention such as intravenous fluids. Before the introduction of the oral vaccine two decades ago, rotavirus was responsible for more than 200,000 emergency room visits, up to 70,000 hospitalizations, and dozens of deaths annually in the U.S., according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.