In the News
A contagious digestive virus, rotavirus, is spreading across the U.S., according to experts. It causes acute gastroenteritis, leading to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. Zachary Hoy, M.D., a board-certified pediatric infectious disease specialist at Pediatrix® Centennial Hospitalist of Nashville, often sees young patients with rotavirus. "Rotavirus is spread via the fecal-oral route, meaning that a person comes into contact with virus droplets from contact with other children or adults, or from contact with objects such as toys that have been contaminated with the virus from someone who is sick," said Dr. Hoy. "This can lead to outbreaks, especially at schools where many young children share the same toys." Rotavirus is associated with many dehydration cases in the hospital due to the degree of diarrhea, according to Dr. Hoy. In severe cases, the virus may cause seizures from dehydration and electrolyte loss. "Younger children do not have the reserves that older children and adults have, so they can become more dehydrated quicker and develop more severe electrolyte imbalances, leading to more severe infections," said Dr. Hoy.
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