Rotavirus infection belongs to the category of acute diseases, which is characterized by the presence of symptoms of a disease such as gastroenteritis. The disease is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. For the most accurate determination of this disease, it is necessary to conduct appropriate tests. In this case, physicians give a significant role to the analysis of feces.
What is rotavirus infection: descriptions and causes
Most often the disease is fixed in children from 6 months to 12 years. At an older age, the child's immunity is well enough developed, which allows him to protect the body from the effects of rotaviruses.
Rotavirus infection belongs to the category of diseases that result from dirty hands.
After a single transfer of the disease by the child, immunity is developed. Therefore, it will be much easier for the child to endure the subsequent illness.
The main symptoms of the disease
Rotavirus infection is characterized by an incubation period of only two days. This is followed by an acute period that lasts 4 days. Further, the course of convalescence is observed, the duration of which is 7 days. In general, the disease lasts from 12 days to two weeks.
With the development of this disease, fever is most often observed. In patients with rotavirus infection, indomitable vomiting is observed.
During the course of this disease, some patients complain of the appearance of a multi-layered watery stool, which is characterized by the presence of a sour smell.
In a certain group of patients, there are independent spastic pain in the abdomen, which appear during the act of defecation.
In a patient, even at a great distance, you can hear rumbling in the stomach. A certain group of patients say that they have a feeling of bloating. A person during the course of the disease has no appetite at all, becomes lethargic. The main symptom of this disease is malaise.
Symptoms of the disease also include:
- Pain in the throat
- Rhinitis
- Pale and dry mucous membranes
- conjunctival inflammation
When examining a patient, doctors notice the presence of a specific tongue. In very frequent cases, with the development of rotavirus infection, an inflammatory process is observed in the tonsils.
If the disease becomes severe, then the patient loses weight, his eyes sink, there are no tears, etc. When examining the patient observed tachycardia, lowering blood pressure. During this period, patients complain of the appearance of intense thirst and weakness. The symptoms of rotavirus infection are very high. It's hard not to notice her. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, the patient must without fail seek help from a doctor.
Fecal analysis for rotavirus infection: preparation and collection of material
The most necessary laboratory test in the development of this disease is the analysis of feces. Its appointment is done with diarrhea, fever, vomiting, nausea.
In young children during the course of the disease, severe vomiting and diarrhea can be observed, which very often leads to dehydration. If a patient is suspected of having a rotavirus infection, then he needs to contact a medical institution for appropriate tests.
The largest number of viruses in the feces of the patient is observed three or five days after infection with rotavirus. Further, there is a decrease in its concentration and excretion from the patient's body. No special preparation is required before performing a stool test.
To ensure the most correct results, do not collect samples after taking laxatives, enemas and rectal suppositories on patients.
During the collection of material, the use of toilet paper is strictly prohibited. Feces that will be tested should not come into contact with human urine or the toilet. Otherwise, the tests obtained as a result of the study will not have a positive result. In order to conduct an analysis, only 1-2 grams of material is enough.
More information about rotavirus infection can be found in the video.
Very often, rotavirus infection is confused with a sore throat. The reason for this may be redness of the tonsils. If the presence of this disease is suspected, the patient may also have an acute respiratory disease, which is characterized by the absence of cough and snot. A sharp increase in body temperature can be explained by the course of an infectious disease in a patient.
This disease is quite specific, which most often occurs in children. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary to take stool tests. This will allow doctors to correctly diagnose and prescribe the most rational treatment.
source
Rotavirus (intestinal) infection is one of the most common, especially among children. In order to choose the right treatment, it is necessary to accurately determine the strain of the pathogen. This can be done in the laboratory by testing for rotavirus infection. What kind of research is being carried out, we will find out in this article.
- nausea and repeated vomiting;
- increase in body temperature;
- stool disorder (diarrhea);
- pallor of the skin;
- Latex agglutination reaction (RAL) . The reaction is antigen-antibody. For this, a special antigen is selected that is sensitive to red blood cells and latex particles. When they interact, a complex is formed that precipitates and indicates the presence of an intestinal infection.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The principle is to bind immune cells to the antigens of pathogens. With the help of a special enzyme, the resulting complex is determined.
source
Intestinal infectious disease is known throughout the world, occurs mainly in children. To determine the correct treatment course, you should diagnose the problem in a timely manner. With the help of laboratory tests, various rotavirus strains are isolated, and babies under the age of three are at risk for this disease. Late or incorrect treatment is a danger to patients with poor health. To avoid such troubles, among the tests prescribed by a specialist for delivery, there is also a feces for rotavirus.
Children are most often affected by this disease. This is due to the fact that the immune system is poorly developed, and rotavirus is resistant to environmental influences. Children are especially susceptible to the disease, the age category of which ranges from six months to twelve years. At an older age, children's immunity is developed better, and is able to protect the body from rotavirus damage.
Infectious disease is categorized as a disease resulting from dirty hands.
It is worth the child to transfer it once, as immune protection is developed in it, and subsequent problems of a similar nature are experienced much easier.
The following pronounced symptoms are considered the reason for testing for this type of infectious disease:
- in the first few days, the body temperature rises to 38.5 - 40 degrees;
- in the upper part of the eligastrium, pain is disturbed;
- gag reflexes are noted four or more times during the day. This happens even in the morning, on an empty stomach;
- appetite is sharply reduced;
- there is a general weakness in the body.
After a while, acute diarrhea begins. Fecal masses of watery consistency, color - yellow, smell - sour. Mucus and blood particles may be found in the stool. Severe diarrhea is a medical emergency because there is a possibility of dehydration accompanied by convulsive spasms and confusion.
As a rule, with symptoms of poisoning, signs inherent in acute respiratory disease are revealed:
- rhinitis;
- pain in the throat;
- swelling of the throat;
- redness of the ocular mucosa.
By the time of recovery, special antibodies are produced in the body that can resist the rotavirus, and further effects of the latogen on the organs are not in such an acute form.
For those who have been ill in childhood, re-infection is marked by subfebrile temperature, loose stools, observed once or twice a day. The child's condition is relieved, but there are obstacles to identify pathological abnormalities. In this case, the survey is comprehensive.
A stool test for rotavirus is considered the most important laboratory testing option for diagnosing the disease. Surrender is prescribed for diarrhea, fever, gag reflexes and nausea.
If there is a suspicion of rotavirus infection, you should contact an experienced specialist who will prescribe the necessary tests.
As a rule, the maximum number of viruses in the patient's feces is observed on the third or fifth day from the moment of illness. After that, the concentration decreases, the removal of the virus from the body begins.
Based on clinical studies and epidemiological history, differential diagnosis is carried out. Taking into account the ability of rotavirus disease to differ in various etiologies, information is required that is laboratory confirmed by the presence of the virus. These include: checking urine and blood, testing feces for rotavirus infection.
During the examination, one should take into account the likelihood of the presence of cholera, dysentery, food poisoning, salmonellosis and other toxic infections due to active microorganisms of the pathogenic group.
This type of diagnosis of rotavirus is quite difficult if the clinical picture is not fully understood. For example, with salmonella, the mucous membrane of the pharynx does not change, as is the case with rotavirus, other signs are similar in most cases.
Bacteriological examination is performed according to blood, feces and vomit tests.
Sometimes rotavirus disease resembles cholera, but the former, by its nature, is easier to treat. But with regard to dysentery, the situation is more complicated. The disease is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, stool with the presence of mucus and blood. The main emphasis in the case of diagnosing such a disease is made on the bacteriological method of verification.
How to donate feces for rotavirus infection? It is believed that the stool test is the final stage of diagnosis and is performed last, because traces of rotavirus will appear at least on the third day.
To properly prepare for the collection of feces, the following rules must be followed:
- medications, rectal suppositories and laxatives are excluded. All this can disrupt the composition of the biological mass and change the test results;
- it is forbidden to give an enema - this procedure will affect the indicators;
- feces are handed over in a sterile container made of plastic material, which is purchased at a pharmacy kiosk. From the moment the biomaterial is taken to its transfer to a laboratory test, no more than three hours should pass. Short-term storage of fecal masses in a refrigerator is allowed;
- the container with the analysis is signed, the date and time of material sampling are indicated;
- during the day before the test, you should exclude the use of alcoholic beverages, spicy and fatty foods.
And how to collect a stool test for rotavirus? Here you will have to comply with some more requirements:
- moisture and urine should not get into the fecal matter;
- it is enough to submit from 2 to 5 grams of biomaterial for verification;
- feces from an infant are allowed to be collected from a diaper using a cotton swab.
The rotavirus antigen VP-6 belonging to group A is detected. In the process of performing the analysis, one of the sets is used, which has good performance indicators. The results of the analyzes are deciphered taking into account the existing symptoms and characteristics of the course of the disease.
When processing data, there is a possibility of obtaining false positive, positive, false negative and negative results. In the first and third cases, the patient is required to be re-examined. The indicator is considered negative if there is no rotavirus RNA, otherwise the result will be positive.
If an intestinal infection is suspected, several stool tests for rotavirus are performed, one of which is ifa - the mutual action of immune system cells with antigens.
Deciphering the test indicators for rotavirus is carried out only by health workers who have the appropriate qualifications.
How to donate feces, we found out. Now consider the features of therapeutic treatment.
Food should be liquid and lean. It is best to cook broths, rice on the water. Twist other cereals in a blender. Strict dietary nutrition is observed, new products are introduced at the discretion of the doctor.
Most likely, the child will not like such food, but he will have to explain to him the whole need for such food, before which he will still have to take pills.
If the baby is worried about pain in the abdomen, give him a no-shpu, which will relieve spasms and help in the fight against inflammatory processes. It is better to buy this drug in liquid form and take it drop by drop.
To stop the emetic effect and dehydration, doctors advise taking Smecta.
source
The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to many bacteria that enter the body with food or water. One of these is rotavirus infection - these are viruses that enter the gastrointestinal tract of a child or adult and actively multiply, causing unpleasant symptoms. These viruses attach to cells in the intestine and contribute to the onset of pathological processes. You can detect the infection by the characteristic signs of poor health, which appear after some time the field of infection. There is currently no vaccine against it.
This disease is characterized by damage to the intestines and stomach by rotaviruses. These bacteria infect the body of adults and children, but for children they are dangerous because, if not properly treated, the pathology can be fatal, this is especially common in patients under 3 years of age. By the age of 4-5, the child develops antibodies to this disease. During life, you can transfer such an infection several times, because there are a large number of strains of viruses. This disease is seasonal - often they become infected during the cold season.
Rotavirus pathogens are very resistant to various disinfectants, they are found on doorknobs, telephones, bedding and other household items. The disease can be transmitted through the entry of the virus into the oral cavity. If the basic rules of personal hygiene are not observed, the appearance of this disease is very likely. There are 4 ways of infection:
- airborne;
- through water;
- through dairy products;
- contact-household.
Symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately: the incubation period lasts an average of 15 hours to 1 week, often no more than 2 days. Obvious signs of rotavirus appear already a day after infection. The duration of the incubation period of the disease depends on the immune system, the age of the patient and the individual characteristics of the organism. Symptoms also show up differently for everyone.
This infection is excreted for a long time - at least 15 days. This is important to know because during the course of treatment, the patient must be isolated from others so as not to spread the infection. After the treatment process is completed, the entire apartment, the patient's personal belongings must be disinfected. Inexpensive items - for example, a washcloth, comb, underwear - are best replaced with a new one.
Symptoms of this disease appear already on the second day after infection. Pathology can pass with the following symptoms:
- temperature rise to 39 degrees;
- diarrhea;
- vomit;
- headache, dizziness;
- lack of appetite;
- increased sweating;
- blood in the stool (a rare dangerous symptom, indicates intestinal bleeding);
- skin rash;
- stomach ache.
In children, almost all signs of rotavirus are more pronounced than in adults. But the body temperature rises high for everyone - it can be up to 39-40 degrees. It normalizes within two or three days. If the temperature does not rise above 38 degrees, it is better not to take antipyretic drugs. If the form of the disease is mild, fever does not occur.
At first, rotavirus manifests itself as an intestinal disorder, which is characterized by severe watery diarrhea with air bubbles. Often, intestinal upset is accompanied by frequent urge to vomit. Rotavirus in children is especially acute, the baby becomes lethargic, sleeps poorly, his appetite disappears. Against the background of these signs, there is still a strong increase in temperature, which lasts for several days. If you experience these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.
The main source of rotavirus is non-compliance with personal hygiene rules. For example, if a person does not wash his hands after using the toilet, then he infects with the virus all objects that he touches. Rotavirus bacteria are able to survive for a long time on household items, so infection occurs very quickly. It is very difficult to remove the infection from the premises, since even many disinfectants are not able to eliminate these bacteria.
It is very important to identify rotavirus in an infant, because this disease is especially dangerous for young patients whose body has not yet grown stronger and has not yet formed. The child's immunity is not yet able to cope with the infection, symptoms resembling poisoning come on very quickly. The danger lies in the fact that, according to statistics, if left untreated, children are at risk of death.
With proper treatment and timely medical diagnosis, rotavirus does not leave any consequences. But if with vomiting and diarrhea, if you do not drink a large amount of fluid, dehydration may occur, which can lead to death. In addition, an intestinal bacterial infection can join the rotavirus, in which case the treatment will be difficult and lengthy.
To find treatment, you need to recognize the symptoms of rotavirus infection and consult a doctor. The disease is especially severe in patients under 5 years of age. In adults and children, the signs of rotavirus are the same, but may differ in duration and intensity: lethargy, drowsiness, lack of appetite, severe disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, frequent diarrhea, nausea, spasms), temperature. In advanced cases, a red skin rash appears. To establish the diagnosis, a serological blood test and a fecal test for a virological study are prescribed.
Rotavirus therapy is done at home, hospitalization is recommended only in severe cases of the course of the disease. Treatment should begin with proper nutrition - dairy products, flour, plant foods are excluded from the diet. Drug therapy is aimed at eliminating pathogenic microorganisms. The next stage is the elimination of intoxication and dehydration with drugs such as Regidron, Gastrolit. The final component of treatment is the restoration of intestinal microflora with probiotics. It is strictly forbidden to treat rotavirus with cola.
To avoid complications and quickly get rid of the pathology, you need to know how to treat rotavirus infection. Of the antiviral drugs that destroy pathogenic bacteria, the following can be distinguished:
- Viferon - suppositories for the treatment of viral infections, hepatitis B, C, D. It is used rectally, 1 suppository twice a day. The course of treatment is 9 days. Plus the drug - it is allowed for pregnant women from 14 weeks, minus - sometimes an allergic reaction on the skin is possible.
In addition to antiviral agents, sorbents are used to treat rotavirus:
- Polysorb is a medicinal solution designed to remove toxins from the intestines. Effective in the fight against microbes, fungi, poison, salts of heavy metals. Reception for adults - 12 g per day, for children under 7 years old - 0.2 g per 1 kg of body weight. Plus - well tolerated by children, fast action, minus - can cause constipation.
- Mezim - recommended for gastrointestinal dysfunction, taken orally with food, 2 tablets 2 times a day. Plus - can be taken with overeating, minus - sometimes causes allergies.
Since rotavirus in adults and children is accompanied by diarrhea, it is necessary to take drugs against diarrhea, including:
- Imodium - consists of loperamide hydrochloride, effective for diarrhea of varying degrees. In acute diarrhea, 2 tablets are indicated after a bowel movement. Plus - quickly normalizes the condition of the intestines, minus - can lead to a lack of stool for more than 13 hours.
- Loperamide is a drug for the treatment of stomach flu and diarrhea as an auxiliary component. Plus - the effect can last for a long time, minus - it is contraindicated for children under 12 years old.
- Festal - breaks down and improves the absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and plant matter. It is indicated for secretory pancreatic insufficiency, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Apply 2 tablets three times a day. Plus the drug in a wide range of applications, minus - is contraindicated in hepatitis.
- Bifiform - renews the intestinal microflora, reduces the formation of gases. It is used inside without chewing, half a teaspoon once a day. Plus - allowed for children and pregnant women, minus - sometimes the effect occurs after a long time.
- Ferment Narine - contains a strain of lactobacilli Lactobacillus ac > If the temperature rises above 39 degrees, it is better to take an antipyretic, for example:
- Analgin - has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects. It is used after meals 0.5 g 3 times a day for adults and 10 mg 3 times a day for children. The advantage is high efficiency with a strong increase in temperature and inflammation, minus - with intravenous administration of the drug, anaphylactic shock was observed.
- Nurofen is a modern antipyretic drug. Syrup is prescribed for children, tablets for adults. The dosage is calculated by weight.
With rotavirus, antimicrobial drugs help get rid of many types of pathogenic microorganisms. The following antibiotics are recommended to treat this infection:
- Erythromycin - recommended for gastrointestinal infections. Dosage: 500 mg 4 times a day 2 hours after meals, children - 500 mg per day. Plus - a wide spectrum of action, minus - not compatible with many substances.
- Cephalexin - many types of bacteria are sensitive to it. Dose: up to 4 g every 5 hours. Plus - it destroys many pathogenic bacteria, minus - a possible disruption of the digestive tract.
For the treatment of rotavirus infection, it is recommended to use this antibiotic to kill pathogenic bacteria. The drug is indicated for acute viral infections in children and adults. It is used 2 tablets three times a day, the course of treatment is 18 tablets. The advantage of the drug lies in a wide spectrum of action and activity against many pathogenic bacteria, the disadvantage is that it is contraindicated during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.
When rotavirus is accompanied by disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, activated goal will help to cope with diarrhea. This is a widely used remedy that is a powerful absorbent. It has a detoxifying effect, it is indicated with a significant increased secretion of gastric juice, flatulence, dyspepsia. Plus, coal is effective for allergies, alcohol intoxication and metabolic disorders, minus - it can not be used for gastric bleeding.
The main task of a proper diet during rotavirus is to reduce the load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The best option would be fractional meals - in small portions, alternating food and water. If there is no appetite, it is better not to eat, but drink plenty of water. All products must be finely chopped. It is strictly forbidden to consume any dairy products, sugar, flour, fatty meat, fish. Mucous cereals, vegetable puree, low-fat broths are recommended.
The first step that should be taken after the treatment of this pathology is the normalization of the water balance in the body. Rotavirus intestinal infection causes dehydration in children due to frequent vomiting and severe diarrhea. You need to drink plenty of water and special preparations containing useful substances and elements (for example, Regidron).
After adequate treatment of the infection, the risk of complications is minimal. They can only be due to dehydration, non-compliance with the diet and neglect of drug therapy. E. coli and other pathogenic bacteria can be added to an existing infection. After antibiotic therapy, a violation of the intestinal microflora is inevitable, but this consequence is easily eliminated with the help of probiotics.
In order not to get infected, it is important to do prevention, observing simple rules:
- to boil water;
- wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly;
- isolate the patient for 15-20 days;
- take care of your hands (daily washing with soap);
- underwear, towels, bed linen must be boiled or washed at a temperature of 90 degrees;
- do not drink water from unknown sources.
source
Rotavirus is an infection that enters the intestines through the mouth and is more common in children. 100% of children get sick before the age of 5. The disease got its name from a virus that resembles a wheel in shape, in Latin - rota. They get sick in April or September.
In adults and children older than 5 years, the virus is less common, occurs without symptoms. When an infection is picked up by a child of two or three years old, he is included in the group of hospitalized children: the risk of complications is high.
The disease can spread in a matter of minutes throughout the body, dehydration occurs. Parents are at risk of losing their child. Doctors recommend at the slightest suspicion to go to the hospital.
You can not treat the child yourself: infectious disease specialists provide professional assistance. If the parents have encountered the disease before and the child is over 3 years old, they try home treatment with first-time prescribed medications.
- increase in temperature;
- diarrhea;
- liquid stool;
- loss of appetite;
- elevated temperature.
With intestinal flu, watch the feeding of the child. Avoid dairy. Lactic bacteria will help the virus get the better of drugs. From normal food refrain until the disappearance of the disease.
Make your child drink pure boiled water without sugar, gas. Choose liquid and lean products. A good solution is broth, rice porridge on the water. Porridge twist in a blender. The diet is strict, a new product is added after the permission of the doctor.
Children do not like this food - explain the benefits and feed the child before taking the pills. Regular intake of medicines on an empty stomach will spoil the liver and stomach.
Gag reflex, diarrhea are dangerous symptoms of the disease. Dehydration, malaise, death. They need to be bought. Doctors recommend using Smecta.
Doctors are engaged in the destruction of the virus in the intestines, mothers take care of rehabilitation therapy. The doctor will recommend medication.
Symptoms of the child's recovery are the disappearance of temperature, good sleep. Waking up, give the baby water or a rosehip broth.
source
Rotavirus infection is a common acute pathology that shakes the intestines and disrupts other body systems. Most often, children are affected, but adults can also become infected. Rotavirus appears in people with weak immunity. The factors of education are quite simple: failure to comply with hygiene measures (poorly washed fruits, vegetables, hands). Correct diagnosis is necessary for the appointment of effective therapy, so the specialist will send you to be tested for rotavirus.
The incubation period of intestinal infection lasts 2 days, then symptoms of the disease occur:
- a person suffers from pain in the abdomen;
- there is repeated vomiting, nausea;
- dark shade of urine;
- diarrhea, loose stools with a peculiar sour aroma;
- blanching of the skin is noted;
- the temperature rises;
- weakness, malaise;
- eye redness;
- blood in stools;
- may have a sore throat and runny nose.
Symptoms last no more than 5-7 days, then, with timely therapy, recovery occurs. Often, after rotavirus, the patient develops immunity, secondary infection does not occur. In an adult, the disease is easier. There is a decrease in appetite, a slight increase in body temperature, and sometimes diarrhea. A person becomes a carrier of the virus and is easily able to infect others.
Signs of an infectious disease can be easily confused with poisoning, salmonellosis, and other pathologies. To determine the diagnosis, the doctor will send you to take tests for rotavirus.
The cause of the occurrence is direct contact with an infected person, as well as the use of various objects, things previously used by the patient. Reproduction is noted in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, after which it is released along with feces. If the mucosa is disturbed, the process of assimilation of food is upset, and this leads to diarrhea, dehydration.
Laboratory tests for rotavirus infection can accurately identify the microbes of the virus. The general information obtained during the study contributes to the appropriate treatment. They help to prescribe the appropriate medicines that can destroy the most dangerous symptoms of the pathology.
The use of laboratory tests allows you to correctly examine the condition of a person, to find out if there is still any threat.
To prevent the spread of rotavirus infection in children, adults, the patient is prescribed the following tests:
- blood, urine;
- stool with rotavirus infection;
- electron microscopy;
- use of rapid tests;
- method of examination of the rectum;
- PCR analysis.
Basically, such analyzes are carried out in a complex. But sometimes the gastroenterologist sends for 1-2 analyzes from this list.
The most common manipulation is a blood test, it allows you to determine which bacteria have settled in the body. After all, rotavirus values of leukocytosis are easily replaced by leukopenia. Monocytosis, lymphocytosis is also possible.
An auxiliary measure is the analysis of RSK, RTGA. Such procedures make it possible to detect the virus in the patient's blood by detecting antibodies that are based to fight the pathology.
But such measures are not always accurate, since protective antibodies appear very late.
Laboratory analysis of feces for rotavirus becomes the final stage, that is, it is performed at the last moment, because traces of the virus are formed only on the 3rd day of infection.
To collect feces, you will need to follow some rules:
- do not take any medicines (rectal suppositories, laxatives), they will change the composition of feces, including their indicators;
- it is forbidden to produce an enema a day before the analysis, this will also affect the results;
- feces for rotavirus should be placed in a clean container bought at a pharmacy. It is necessary to hand over the material no later than 3 hours after bowel movement, so it is advisable to put it in the refrigerator before the laboratory;
- write your last name, date on the container;
- 24 hours before the collection of excrement, you should not take alcohol, spicy, fatty foods.
With rotavirus, the structure in the feces changes. The hue acquires lightness, and the density becomes heterogeneous. Drops of blood and mucus may be observed in the stools. The transcripts of the results of the analyzes can be found out the day after the delivery. In accordance with the data received, the doctor prescribes the treatment.
The study of urine allows you to recognize proteins, leukocytes, erythrocytes. The values will indicate deviations or the norm.
Urine with an intestinal infection instead of a light yellow tone changes to a darker one, this indicates the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. No specific preparation for the procedure is required.
You need to purchase a container at a pharmacy, collect urine and try to immediately deliver (within a couple of hours) to the laboratory. The sooner the material arrives, the more accurate the indicators will be.
It is advisable not to drink alcohol or cigarettes a few hours before collecting the analysis. It is better to carry out the manipulation on an empty stomach, that is, to collect urine in the morning.
This type of diagnosis involves a study carried out at home. This method of detecting rotavirus is quite effective, but therapy should still be carried out as prescribed by a specialist.
An express test is carried out using a special device purchased at a pharmacy. It is called Rota-test or a little differently.
After 15 minutes, the result will be visible on the device. In the presence of 2 strips, the pathogen is present in the body. Do not use the device twice.
In difficult situations, special diagnostic methods are used to make an accurate diagnosis. The differential method is performed through laboratory, clinical tests, epidemiological history.
Since rotavirus disease contains a different etiology, you will need the results of the fact that there really is a virus in the body, namely the analysis of feces for rotavirus infection and blood. At the time of the examination, it is important to exclude the existence of cholera, food poisoning, salmonellosis, and other factors that form during the activity of pathogenic microbes.
Diagnosis is very difficult if the clinical signs are not clearly defined:
- for example, salmonella does not change the mucous membrane of the throat, but other symptoms are very similar. For bacteriological analysis, it is necessary to donate blood, stool, examination of vomit;
- often rotavirus is similar to cholera, but the virus is milder. Cholera is helped to distinguish between Vibrios cholerae, as well as NAG infections;
- but with dysentery, everything is much more complicated. The disease is characterized by intense pain in the abdomen, feces are observed muco-bloody. The main emphasis for identifying the disease is made on bacteriological examination.
Young children have a hard time with rotavirus infection. At the initial signs of pathology, an ambulance should be urgently called. To avoid dehydration, you must constantly drink fluids. The doctor will examine the baby, if necessary, send it to the infectious diseases department or prescribe certain methods of treatment and medicines - this is Regidron, sorbent drugs, antipyretics.
To prevent the development of infection, doctors recommend that the child be vaccinated against rotavirus. Almost all children tolerate it well. Very rarely, an allergic reaction, increased nervousness, vomiting, mild diarrhea for a week after vaccination is possible.
Susceptibility to infection is very high, after the illness, unstable immunity is formed and does not provide complete protection against other viruses of various groups. A viral infection is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person by the fecal-oral route.
In addition, other methods of infection are possible: contact-household (through common objects), water (through dirty water intended for drinking), alimentary (food). The clinical picture of an intestinal infection is similar to many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. How to determine the presence of rotavirus?
In the case of the following symptoms, you should contact an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible:
- nausea and repeated vomiting;
- increase in body temperature;
- soreness and rumbling in the abdomen;
- stool disorder (diarrhea);
- pallor of the skin;
- dry skin and mucous membranes (symptom of dehydration);
- muscle weakness, headache, lethargy;
- sometimes there may be symptoms of SARS (runny nose, sore throat, loss of strength).
If the first signs of the disease appear, it is urgent to consult a specialist. He will give the direction in which it is necessary to take an analysis for an intestinal infection.
The result can be obtained the very next day after the delivery of the material to the laboratory. Diagnosis of rotavirus infection includes the study of biological material: feces, urine, saliva and vomit.
A stool test for rotavirus infection is the main type of study for making a diagnosis. The main rule for collecting material is the absence of contact with the toilet, potty or diaper of the child; feces are not allowed after applying an enema or after introducing rectal suppositories. If these rules are not observed, the results can be severely distorted.
At least 3–5 g of feces is placed in a clean container and tightly closed with a lid. It is permissible to store the container in a cool place for no more than 12 hours. If antigens of rotavirus VP6 were found, which belong to group A, then the result will be positive and the doctor will diagnose rotavirus infection.
In their absence, it is negative. For accurate diagnosis, the PCR or ELISA method is used. If the result is doubtful or false positive, then the patient needs to donate feces again.
If rotavirus is present in the body, then the blood changes somewhat: there is an increase in leukocytes, which is quickly replaced by their fall, lymphocytes and monocytes. ESR is usually within the normal range, although there are exceptions.
After receiving the data, it is necessary to consult with a specialist. Manipulation of blood sampling is performed by a medical worker in sterile conditions, applying the rules of asepsis.
When examining urine, one can observe an increase in leukocytes in it, the appearance of erythrocytes, protein, and even cylinders. The main rule for collecting material is proper hygiene of the genital tract before the procedure, as well as a clean sterile container with a tight screw cap.
The main task of laboratory assistants is to identify a particular pathogen in a biological fluid. To find the causative agent of intestinal infection, doctors use several methods:
- Latex agglutination reaction (RAL). The reaction is antigen-antibody. For this, a special antigen is selected that is sensitive to red blood cells and latex particles. When they interact, a complex is formed that precipitates and indicates the presence of an intestinal infection.
- Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The principle is to bind immune cells to the antigens of pathogens. With the help of a special enzyme, the resulting complex is determined.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consists in repeated copying of DNA, RNA fragments using special enzymes. After processing, the doctor compares the results with the base and identifies the pathogen.
- Immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) allows you to determine the pathogen that multiplies in cell culture, and there are no other test systems for it. The method is based on the interaction of antibodies with viruses by mixing materials containing these viruses with a special serum.
To detect the presence of rotavirus at home, you can use the Pharmasco CITO TEST ROTA. These are test cassettes that help diagnose the presence of an infection within a few minutes. But it is worth noting that the tester can also show a false result. You can buy it at a pharmacy without a prescription from a specialist and, according to the instructions, test it at home.
To prevent the penetration of rotavirus into the body, the following rules must be observed:
- wash hands after visiting the street, public places, before eating;
- use individual hygiene products (each has its own toothbrushes, towels, etc.);
- it is advisable to drink not raw, but boiled water;
- wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating;
- frequent ventilation of the room, wet daily cleaning.
You can get infected with rotavirus not only when a person is sick in the acute phase, but also for a long time after, because the virus is stable in the external sphere. Of particular danger are those people in whom the disease is asymptomatic, but they are a serious threat due to the active release of the pathogen into the environment.
There are other methods of prevention: vaccination. A live vaccine has been developed, after the introduction of which a stable immunity is formed. Only in 30 countries it is only part of the mandatory vaccinations, but it is used in 70 countries. Thanks to vaccination, the incidence of rotavirus has been reduced by almost 80%.
As mentioned above, rotavirus infection is a generalized term. In order to make a specific diagnosis, doctors prescribe a series of diagnostic procedures, this is called an analysis for rotavirus infection. Examine blood, feces and urine.
A blood test in the presence of this virus in the body shows the following indicators: moderate leukocytosis, quickly replaced by leukopenia. Lymphocytosis and monocytosis also occur, ESR is within the normal range, but exceptions occur. It is impossible to give exact numerical indicators of the analysis, since the normal composition of the blood is individual for each individual. Therefore, the results must be looked at by a doctor in order to competently advise.
Next comes the urine test, there is no need to prepare for the procedure, except that the urine should be placed in a special pharmacy container. The results of the disease display proteinuria, hematuria and leukocyturia, in some cases, the appearance of casts is possible.
The final, but most basic, is the analysis of feces for the presence of rotavirus infection. Doctors prescribe it last, since the maximum number of microbes of the virus in the feces appears on the third or fifth day. So it is possible to investigate the infection much more efficiently and more accurately. There are several important points to be aware of in order to properly collect a stool specimen for rotavirus testing:
- You can not use any drugs, including rectal suppositories and laxatives, as well as do an enema the day before collecting feces.
- Feces must be collected directly into a clean container so that it does not come into contact with external objects. It must be handed over to the laboratory a maximum of three hours after collection, this time the sample for analysis is best stored in the refrigerator.
- To avoid an error, it is worth signing the container and indicating the date - so you can be sure of the accuracy of the results.
During the peak of rotavirus infection in the body, mucus and blood may be present in the stool. The results of the analysis, as a rule, are ready in a day and are reported to the patient or his doctor in a short time. According to the collected data on the state of the body, treatment is prescribed.
The diagnosis of rotavirus infection cannot be made based on symptoms. One can only speculate about the development of this disease. In determining the development of any infectious disease, an anamnesis (survey) is important. The doctor is obliged to find out in detail how the disease developed in the child:
- when parents first noticed a deterioration in the condition of the baby;
- what were the first signs, etiology - acute onset or gradual development;
- clarification of the probable source of infection, the mechanism of infection and the route of transmission of infection.
Proper collection of epidemiological data will suggest the onset and development of infection.
Signs characteristic of rotavirus:
- in 95% of cases, children from 6 months to 2 years are sick;
- incubation period up to 4 days;
- the onset of the disease is a single vomiting and a slight increase in temperature
- then very loose, watery stools develop;
- feces never contain blood impurities.
In order for the results of the study to be as reliable as possible, it is necessary to collect feces following certain rules. In infants, feces for rotavirus are collected from a diaper after a bowel movement.
If the child is already using the potty, then before seating the baby, you need to disinfect. To do this, the pot is doused with boiling water several times. There should be no traces of synthetic detergents and disinfectants on its walls.
Feces must be collected immediately after defecation with a clean spatula, if the stool is liquid, you can simply pour the contents of the pot into a container for sending to the laboratory. The total volume of feces should not exceed 20-30 ml. The container for biological material should be tightly closed with a lid.
For research, it is necessary to take that part of the feces that contains the most pathological impurities - mucus, fibrin films, pus, suspicious particles. The sooner you collect a stool sample for rotavirus and send it to the laboratory, the more reliable the result will be.
Rotavirus infection is diagnosed in several ways. Their goal is to determine the virus itself, its antigens, and to detect viral RNA. Serological methods allow you to make an accurate diagnosis in one day.
This is a type of serological diagnostics, which is widely used in infectious diseases. Based on an antigen-antibody reaction. For this, a special antigen is used, which is represented by a suspension of microorganisms, sensitive erythrocytes and latex particles. When the suspension interacts with antibodies, a complex is formed that precipitates, which indicates the presence of a rotavirus infection.
The analysis for the antigen-antibody reaction consists of two stages. First, an enzymatic reaction occurs, then an immune response. The principle of the method is the binding of an antibody to an antigen.
Antibodies are adsorbed on a special device. The target antigens are then bound to them. All this is washed with a special solution. Then antibodies labeled with a specific enzyme are applied. Do another wash. A complex is formed from an antigen and two antibodies. The contents are then stained. The more intense the color in the sample, the more rotavirus is in the stool.
This is a virus neutralization test, which is carried out for their identification, as well as for the serological diagnosis of viral infections. The principle of such testing is based on the development of immune responses in the body upon infection.
Cellular toxicity tests of lymphocytes against infectious agents are performed to assess cellular responses. The ability of lymphocytes to respond is determined. This is how antiviral antibodies are identified. The reaction is done by mixing an unknown virus with an antiserum.
The choice of diagnostic methods depends on each specific case. For laboratory tests, feces and blood are taken. The main diagnostic methods for determining infection:
- RDP - diffuse precipitation reaction.
- Solid coagglutination reaction.
- RPG - passive agglutination reaction.
- Immunofluorescent analysis.
- radioimmunoassay.
- Virus isolation in cell culture.
- PCR - polymerase chain reaction.
- Electrophoresis of rotavirus RNA.
- Point hybridization method.
- RTGA - hemagglutination inhibition reaction.
- RIGA is the reaction of indirect hemagglutination.
A differential test for rotavirus infection is performed for those patients who have other acute intestinal infections (bacterial and viral). Such a diagnosis is indicated when signs of gastroenteritis come to the fore in the symptoms:
- food poisoning;
- cholera;
- acute dysentery;
- viral diarrhea - adenovirus, astrovirus, ECHO and coxsackie enteroviruses, norfolk virus;
- salmonellosis;
- escherichiosis.
If you need to do an urgent analysis or conduct a diagnosis yourself (if the child's condition is satisfactory and does not require hospitalization), they do a rotavirus test at home. It is not laborious and requires minimal time investment. . With it, you can 100% determine the presence of a pathogenic microorganism in the feces.
Immunochromatographic rapid test for rotavirus is based on the use of monoclonal and polyclonal mouse antibodies to the viral antigen. Antibodies are bound to the dye and located on the membrane of the test cassette. The test has a high degree of specificity and sensitivity.
What is included in the test system:
- cassettes for dough - 20 pcs.;
- disposable pipettes - 20 pcs.;
- plastic test tubes containing 2 ml of extractant - 20 pcs.;
- applicators for taking material - 20 pcs.;
- instructions for using the test system.
Do not use the system if the integrity of its packaging is broken or the expiration date has expired. Wear disposable gloves during the test.
Feces for research are taken only after the onset of symptoms of the disease. The most accurate results of the study are on the 3-5th day of the disease.
Preparation of the extracted sample: open a plastic tube and, using the applicator, add feces the size of a pea into it, then close tightly and shake until the feces are completely dissolved in the extractant. Then the test tube should stand until the large particles settle to the bottom. The reagent must be at room temperature to perform the test.
How the test is carried out: remove the cassette from the package, open the test tube with the biomaterial. Using a pipette, drop 6 full drops into the sample well, gradually allowing each previous drop to be absorbed. The maximum time for preparing the result is 10 minutes.
- one strip in the area of the control zone (C) - the result is negative, the stool does not contain rotavirus;
- one colored band in the control zone and one band (clearly visible) in the test zone - the result is positive, the sample contains rotavirus;
- if there is no band in the control zone - the test is uncertain, performed poorly, in violation of the instructions, it is necessary to re-analyze using another test cassette.
The test is only suitable for detecting rotavirus infection in feces. If the stool contains blood, it may give a false positive result.
Rotavirus infection affects 100% of the population in childhood. This pathology is dangerous only for infants and children under 3 years of age. For a child, it is dangerous with such complications as severe dehydration and damage to the nervous system - convulsions, up to respiratory arrest. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis of rotavirus, its differentiation from other infectious diseases is important.
Rota enters the human body from a sick person or a carrier of rotavirus infection through contact, through things, objects. The virus is applied through sweat, saliva.
In the gastrointestinal tract, division and reproduction begin - favorable conditions for the virus. The mucosa is affected. There is diarrhea, dehydration.
Infect through objects, handshake, food. The cause of infection is the habit of children to bite their nails, pull their fingers into their mouths. In adults - frequent touching of the lips.
Eating raw vegetables and fruits (heat treatment, under running water), there is a risk of infection in the blood. During the summer, the rotavirus infection is dormant due to the increased temperature outside the window, in winter - due to the cold. Viruses are not viable at low or high temperatures.
After thoroughly washing hands, fruits under running water, wipe them dry. There are plenty of pathogens of intestinal infections in raw water.
Infection within a few days, sometimes in one day (depending on the immunity of the child) affects the body. Terms - up to five days. Bacterial growth is rapid, symptoms are consistent.
- acute pain in the abdomen, vomiting, constant nausea;
- increase in temperature;
- diarrhea;
- the skin turns pale, weakness appears;
- urine darkens, blood clots come out with feces.
If you notice symptoms in a child, go to the hospital, call an ambulance. It's an intestinal infection. More specifically, they will say after passing the test for rotavirus infection, E. coli, seeding tank, smear.
Features of feces: bright yellow color, pungent odor.
With a rotavirus infection, the child's eyes turn red, an inflammatory process appears in the larynx.
Upon admission to the hospital, procedures are prescribed to identify the causes. Necessarily - an analysis for intestinal infections (to exclude cholera and salmonellosis), an analysis of feces for rotavirus. The diagnosis is made by a doctor after taking tests.
With proper treatment, the symptoms disappear in four days, a week. After rotavirus, immunity is developed, relapse is impossible.
Adult response to rotavirus:
- liquid stool;
- loss of appetite;
- elevated temperature.
From the moment of reaction to the infection, a person carrying the virus infects his family members, colleagues. With the described symptoms, adults practically do not go to the clinic, taking them for poisoning.
With symptoms and suspicions of infection, you need to go to the hospital for help.
The differential diagnosis begins. It is divided into three stages:
- At the first stage, information is collected about the onset of the disease, symptoms. With an intestinal infection, signs are observed, as with acute respiratory diseases. The doctor is convinced that appendicitis with characteristic vomiting, fever and diarrhea does not respond to acute pain.
- Examination of the patient. When the diagnosis is made, a course of treatment is prescribed.
- Examination methods - from the collection of tests for the carriage of infection to the use of computer technology. According to the analyzes, the degree of the disease is determined.
Examine feces for rotavirus. It is not required to prepare the body - it will not work due to frequent loose stools. It is forbidden to take a fecal analysis for intestinal infections after an enema, the use of suppositories, a laxative.
Feces are not collected from the walls of the toilet, with urine: the microbiological and laboratory clinic will be inaccurate. The material is collected in a container - sold in pharmacies.
Take up to 5 grams of feces with a special stick included in the kit. Selling out within a few hours. If the feces are collected in the evening, cold storage is allowed for up to 12 hours.
The analyzes determine the antigens of rotaviruses. With a negative result, they are not in the feces. Shows positive - infection inside. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and DIF diagnostics are allowed. A false reaction occurs - you will need to repeat the analysis.
Patients are interested in the speed of the analysis, the expectation of a response, the long-term laboratory interpretation. Children's clinics with infectious diseases departments are often not supplied with materials for analysis. But in a day you can identify the problem. It is recommended to buy a test for the recognition of pathogens of viruses.
Depending on the workload, the medical staff will find out the reasons, deciphering the tests for infectious agents. Virologists use a table with a set of codes and ciphers. Treatment is prescribed.
Comprehensive molecular genetic study to identify and differentiate the most common pathogens of acute intestinal infections (AII) - group A rotaviruses (Rotavirus), noroviruses of genotype 2 (Norovirus 2 genotype), astroviruses (Astrovirus). The study allows you to identify the genetic material (RNA) of pathogens in the feces and establish the etiology of the disease. These pathogens are the main cause of the most severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children, as well as in adults.
Qualitative analysis - for each type of infection, the result "detected / not detected" is issued.
Russian synonyms
Screening for intestinal infections: rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus.
What biomaterial can be used for research?
Research method
PCR in real time.
How to properly prepare for research?
- The study is recommended to be carried out before taking antibiotics and other antibacterial chemotherapeutic drugs.
- Exclude the intake of laxatives, the introduction of rectal suppositories, oils, limit (in agreement with the doctor) the intake of medications that affect intestinal motility (belladonna, pilocarpine, etc.), and drugs that affect the color of feces (iron, bismuth, barium sulfate), within 72 hours prior to stool collection.
General information about the study
According to official statistics, in Russia up to 65-67% of diseases in this group are AII of unspecified etiology. If the causative agent of the infection is unknown, the effectiveness of anti-epidemic measures is limited. The ratio of the frequency of detection of viral and bacterial pathogens varies at different ages: in children under 3 years old, viral agents account for 80-90% of diseases, bacterial agents account for 10-20%; among adult patients, the proportion of viral pathogens is reduced to 30%.
Rotavirus infection is an acute viral disease transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Its causative agents are RNA-containing rotaviruses(Rotavirus). The source of infection is a sick person.
Rotaviruses are characterized by seasonality: they are most often infected during the cold season. The incubation period lasts from 15 hours to several days, the onset of the disease is acute, with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes fever. If the disease is not treated, dehydration and electrolyte and acid-base imbalance may be added to them. Although sometimes rotavirus infection is asymptomatic. After the illness, the immune system is unstable, so a relapse is possible.
According to foreign literature data, norovirus- the most common causative agent of AII outbreaks of non-bacterial etiology. This feature is associated with a low infectious dose and high resistance in the environment. PCR is the "gold standard" in the clinical diagnosis of norovirus infections.
Norovirus (Norovirus) is an RNA-containing virus belonging to the family Caliciviridae and leading to a gastrointestinal infection in the form of acute gastroenteritis. Noroviruses are classified into six genogroups: GI - GVI. In accordance with the established nomenclature, about 38 genotypes of these viruses are known. Noroviruses GI, GII, GIV are the most pathogenic for humans. According to modern literature data, the most common genogroup in human infection is the GII genogroup. It contains up to 19 genotypes and genotypes GII.3, GII.6, GII.12 are associated with transmission of infection through food. Norovirus infection is a highly contagious disease and can occur in the form of single cases, group cases and outbreaks. This pathogen is the cause of more than 90% of non-bacterial nature and about 50% of all cases of gastroenteritis. People of all age groups are susceptible to infection, but cases of the disease are more often described in school-age children and adults.
Despite a slightly lower prevalence compared to rota- and noroviruses, astroviruses constitute a significant layer of intestinal infections, in a third of patients proceeding with colitis. Group A rotaviruses are the most common cause of sporadic AII in children, and DNA-containing adenovirus F (serotypes 40 and 41) often causes outbreaks in young children.
Astrovirus infection is an acute viral disease with fecal-oral transmission. Its causative agents are RNA-containing astroviruses (Astrovirus). The peak incidence occurs in the cold season. The incubation period is 3-4 days. The infection manifests as acute gastroenteritis (general malaise, headache, nausea, diarrhea, slight fever, sometimes vomiting) and is more common in children (especially those under 2 years of age), but can also occur in adults. It resembles a rotavirus infection, but is milder. The disease lasts, as a rule, no more than 5 days, does not require specific treatment and ends with recovery.
Often, astrovirus infection is asymptomatic. Isolation of the virus with feces occurs within 3 weeks from the moment of infection, therefore it is recommended to identify the pathogen by PCR at this time.
For the detection and differential diagnosis of intestinal infections, cultural and molecular genetic methods are used to study the genetic material of the pathogen in the feces and determine the concentration of specific immunoglobulins in the blood. PCR has an advantage over culture methods due to the high specificity and sensitivity of the study. This analysis allows you to determine the causative agent of an intestinal disease with 100% accuracy, and a quick diagnosis of acute intestinal infections helps to avoid unnecessary procedures and surgical interventions, start treatment in a timely manner and limit the source of infection.
What is research used for?
- To establish the etiological factor of acute intestinal infection;
- for the differential diagnosis of the causes of acute gastroenterocolitis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract).
When is the study scheduled?
- Establishment of the etiological factor of acute intestinal infection;
- differential diagnosis of the causes of acute gastroenteritis;
- differential diagnosis of the causes of acute diarrhea;
- with symptoms of viral gastroenteritis (abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence, fever);
- simultaneous or sequential development of acute intestinal infections in several family members, in children in a children's institution or in patients in a hospital;
- "exacerbation" of AEI symptoms in a patient hospitalized with this diagnosis (nosocomial infection);
- according to epidemiological indications.
What do the results mean?
Reference values:
not detected.Rotavirus A
Norovirus 2 genotype
Astrovirus
The analysis of the results is carried out using the software of the instrument used for PCR with real-time detection.
"Detected":
- the infection is caused by the corresponding pathogen.
"Not detected":
- the absence of pathogen RNA in the test material;
- the level of RNA in the test material is below the detection limits of the method.
Acute intestinal infections, screening (Shigellaspp., E. coli (EIEC), Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Adenovirus F, Rotavirus A, Norovirus 2 genotype, Astrovirus)
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, DNA [PCR]
Sowing feces for opportunistic flora with the determination of sensitivity to antibiotics
Who orders the study?
Infectionist, pediatrician, gastroenterologist, epidemiologist.
Rotavirus (intestinal) infection is one of the most common, especially among children. In order to choose the right treatment, it is necessary to accurately determine the strain of the pathogen. This can be done in the laboratory by testing for rotavirus infection. What kind of research is being carried out, we will find out in this article.
When should a diagnosis be made?
Susceptibility to infection is very high, after the illness, unstable immunity is formed and does not provide complete protection against other viruses of various groups. A viral infection is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person by the fecal-oral route.
In addition, other methods of infection are possible: contact-household (through common objects), water (through dirty water intended for drinking), alimentary (food). The clinical picture of an intestinal infection is similar to many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. How to determine the presence of rotavirus?
In the case of the following symptoms, you should contact an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible:
- nausea and repeated vomiting;
- increase in body temperature;
- soreness and rumbling in the abdomen;
- stool disorder (diarrhea);
- pallor of the skin;
- dry skin and mucous membranes (symptom of dehydration);
- muscle weakness, headache, lethargy;
- sometimes there may be symptoms of SARS (runny nose, sore throat, loss of strength).
Rotavirus infection can occur at any age. Children under the age of 5 are especially susceptible to it.
Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fever are the first signs of an intestinal infection
Research types
If the first signs of the disease appear, it is urgent to consult a specialist. He will give the direction in which it is necessary to take an analysis for an intestinal infection.
The result can be obtained the very next day after the delivery of the material to the laboratory. Diagnosis of rotavirus infection includes the study of biological material: feces, urine, saliva and vomit.
Fecal analysis
A stool test for rotavirus infection is the main type of study for making a diagnosis. The main rule for collecting material is the absence of contact with the toilet, potty or diaper of the child; feces are not allowed after applying an enema or after introducing rectal suppositories. If these rules are not observed, the results can be severely distorted.
At least 3–5 g of feces is placed in a clean container and tightly closed with a lid. It is permissible to store the container in a cool place for no more than 12 hours. If antigens of rotavirus VP6 were found, which belong to group A, then the result will be positive and the doctor will diagnose rotavirus infection.
In their absence, it is negative. For accurate diagnosis, the PCR or ELISA method is used. If the result is doubtful or false positive, then the patient needs to donate feces again.
Blood analysis
If rotavirus is present in the body, then the blood changes somewhat: there is an increase in leukocytes, which is quickly replaced by their fall, lymphocytes and monocytes. ESR is usually within the normal range, although there are exceptions.
After receiving the data, it is necessary to consult with a specialist. Manipulation of blood sampling is performed by a medical worker in sterile conditions, applying the rules of asepsis.
When examining urine, one can observe an increase in leukocytes in it, the appearance of erythrocytes, protein, and even cylinders. The main rule for collecting material is proper hygiene of the genital tract before the procedure, as well as a clean sterile container with a tight screw cap.
Urinalysis for rotavirus - a diagnostic method that indirectly confirms the diagnosis
Important! The best time to take biological material is the first 3 days. Then the concentration of the virus in the body decreases significantly, which can affect the results of the tests.
Methods for examining feces for the presence of intestinal infection
The main task of laboratory assistants is to identify a particular pathogen in a biological fluid. To find the causative agent of intestinal infection, doctors use several methods:
- Latex agglutination test (RAL). The reaction is antigen-antibody. For this, a special antigen is selected that is sensitive to red blood cells and latex particles. When they interact, a complex is formed that precipitates and indicates the presence of an intestinal infection.
- Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The principle is to bind immune cells to the antigens of pathogens. With the help of a special enzyme, the resulting complex is determined.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consists in repeated copying of DNA, RNA fragments with the help of special enzymes. After processing, the doctor compares the results with the base and identifies the pathogen.
- Immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) allows you to determine the pathogen that multiplies in cell culture, and there are no other test systems for it. The method is based on the interaction of antibodies with viruses by mixing materials containing these viruses with a special serum.
To detect the presence of rotavirus at home, you can use the Pharmasco CITO TEST ROTA. These are test cassettes that help diagnose the presence of an infection within a few minutes. But it is worth noting that the tester can also show a false result. You can buy it at a pharmacy without a prescription from a specialist and, according to the instructions, test it at home.
Test cassette for detecting intestinal infection at home
To prevent the penetration of rotavirus into the body, the following rules must be observed:
- wash hands after visiting the street, public places, before eating;
- use individual hygiene products (each has its own toothbrushes, towels, etc.);
- it is advisable to drink not raw, but boiled water;
- wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating;
- frequent ventilation of the room, wet daily cleaning.
You can get infected with rotavirus not only when a person is sick in the acute phase, but also for a long time after, because the virus is stable in the external sphere. Of particular danger are those people in whom the disease is asymptomatic, but they are a serious threat due to the active release of the pathogen into the environment.
There are other methods of prevention: vaccination. A live vaccine has been developed, after the introduction of which a stable immunity is formed. Only in 30 countries it is only part of the mandatory vaccinations, but it is used in 70 countries. Thanks to vaccination, the incidence of rotavirus has been reduced by almost 80%.
Rotavirus infection is an infectious disease that is caused by a specific pathogen - rotavirus. The name, translated from Latin, means "virus in the form of a wheel." Another name for the disease is intestinal flu. Diagnosis of infection is easily made by laboratory testing of feces. You can get tested for rotavirus at any laboratory. There are various methods for its detection.
The diagnosis of rotavirus infection cannot be made based on symptoms. One can only speculate about the development of this disease. In determining the development of any infectious disease, an anamnesis (survey) is important. The doctor is obliged to find out in detail how the disease developed in the child:
- when parents first noticed a deterioration in the condition of the baby;
- what were the first signs, etiology - acute onset or gradual development;
- clarification of the probable source of infection, the mechanism of infection and the route of transmission of infection.
Proper collection of epidemiological data will suggest the onset and development of infection.
Signs characteristic of rotavirus:
- in 95% of cases, children from 6 months to 2 years are sick;
- incubation period up to 4 days;
- the onset of the disease is a single vomiting and a slight increase in temperature
- then very loose, watery stools develop;
- feces never contain blood impurities.
Rules for taking feces for rotavirus infection
In order for the results of the study to be as reliable as possible, it is necessary to collect feces following certain rules. In infants, feces for rotavirus are collected from a diaper after a bowel movement.
Feces must be collected immediately after defecation with a clean spatula, if the stool is liquid, you can simply pour the contents of the pot into a container for sending to the laboratory. The total volume of feces should not exceed 20-30 ml. The container for biological material should be tightly closed with a lid.
For research, it is necessary to take that part of the feces that contains the most pathological impurities - mucus, fibrin films, pus, suspicious particles. The sooner you collect a stool sample for rotavirus and send it to the laboratory, the more reliable the result will be.
Methods for the study of feces for rotavirus
Rotavirus infection is diagnosed in several ways. Their goal is to determine the virus itself, its antigens, and to detect viral RNA. Serological methods allow you to make an accurate diagnosis in one day.
RLA - latex agglutination reaction
This is a type of serological diagnostics, which is widely used in infectious diseases. Based on an antigen-antibody reaction. For this, a special antigen is used, which is represented by a suspension of microorganisms, sensitive erythrocytes and latex particles. When the suspension interacts with antibodies, a complex is formed that precipitates, which indicates the presence of a rotavirus infection.
ELISA - enzyme immunoassay
Antibodies are adsorbed on a special device. The target antigens are then bound to them. All this is washed with a special solution. Then antibodies labeled with a specific enzyme are applied. Do another wash. A complex is formed from an antigen and two antibodies. The contents are then stained. The more intense the color in the sample, the more rotavirus is in the stool.
Immunoelectron microscopy
This is a virus neutralization test, which is carried out for their identification, as well as for the serological diagnosis of viral infections. The principle of such testing is based on the development of immune responses in the body upon infection.
Cellular toxicity tests of lymphocytes against infectious agents are performed to assess cellular responses. The ability of lymphocytes to respond is determined. This is how antiviral antibodies are identified. The reaction is done by mixing an unknown virus with an antiserum.
Other methods for diagnosing rotavirus
The choice of diagnostic methods depends on each specific case. For laboratory tests, feces and blood are taken. The main diagnostic methods for determining infection:
- RDP - diffuse precipitation reaction.
- Solid coagglutination reaction.
- RPG - passive agglutination reaction.
- Immunofluorescent analysis.
- radioimmunoassay.
- Virus isolation in cell culture.
- PCR - polymerase chain reaction.
- Electrophoresis of rotavirus RNA.
- Point hybridization method.
- RTGA - hemagglutination inhibition reaction.
- RIGA is the reaction of indirect hemagglutination.
Differential Diagnosis
A differential test for rotavirus infection is performed for those patients who have other acute intestinal infections (bacterial and viral). Such a diagnosis is indicated when signs of gastroenteritis come to the fore in the symptoms:
- food poisoning;
- cholera;
- acute dysentery;
- viral diarrhea - adenovirus, astrovirus, ECHO and coxsackie enteroviruses, norfolk virus;
- salmonellosis;
- escherichiosis.
Determination of rotavirus infection at home
If you need to do an urgent analysis or conduct a diagnosis yourself (if the child's condition is satisfactory and does not require hospitalization), they do a rotavirus test at home. It is not laborious and requires minimal time investment. . With it, you can 100% determine the presence of a pathogenic microorganism in the feces.
Immunochromatographic rapid test for rotavirus is based on the use of monoclonal and polyclonal mouse antibodies to the viral antigen. Antibodies are bound to the dye and located on the membrane of the test cassette. The test has a high degree of specificity and sensitivity.
What is included in the test system:
- cassettes for dough - 20 pcs.;
- disposable pipettes - 20 pcs.;
- plastic test tubes containing 2 ml of extractant - 20 pcs.;
- applicators for taking material - 20 pcs.;
- instructions for using the test system.
Do not use the system if the integrity of its packaging is broken or the expiration date has expired. Wear disposable gloves during the test.
Feces for research are taken only after the onset of symptoms of the disease. The most accurate results of the study are on the 3-5th day of the disease.
Preparation of the extracted sample: open a plastic tube and, using the applicator, add feces the size of a pea into it, then close tightly and shake until the feces are completely dissolved in the extractant. Then the test tube should stand until the large particles settle to the bottom. The reagent must be at room temperature to perform the test.
How the test is carried out: remove the cassette from the package, open the test tube with the biomaterial. Using a pipette, drop 6 full drops into the sample well, gradually allowing each previous drop to be absorbed. The maximum time for preparing the result is 10 minutes.
Result evaluation:
- one strip in the area of the control zone (C) - the result is negative, the stool does not contain rotavirus;
- one colored band in the control zone and one band (clearly visible) in the test zone - the result is positive, the sample contains rotavirus;
- if there is no band in the control zone - the test is uncertain, performed poorly, in violation of the instructions, it is necessary to re-analyze using another test cassette.
The test is only suitable for detecting rotavirus infection in feces. If the stool contains blood, it may give a false positive result.
Rotavirus infection affects 100% of the population in childhood. This pathology is dangerous only for infants and children under 3 years of age. For a child, it is dangerous with such complications as severe dehydration and damage to the nervous system - convulsions, up to respiratory arrest. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis of rotavirus, its differentiation from other infectious diseases is important.
To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor may ask you to take a stool test for rotovirus. This is done on the 3-5th day of illness. Feces should be immediately placed in a sterile container.
A dangerous disease that most often affects children is rotavirus. It affects babies from 6 months to 12 years old, who have a poorly developed immune system.
The incubation period of rotavirus infection or, as it is also called, intestinal flu, is only 2 days, after which signs of the disease appear.
- I have a stomachache.
- A child or adult begins to vomit repeatedly.
- The patient complains of weakness, he is pale, sometimes there is a runny nose and sore throat.
- He has diarrhea, watery stools, with a characteristic sour smell.
Symptoms of the disease do not last long, no more than 4-7 days, after which the patient recovers. If an adult falls ill, the disease proceeds more easily: his appetite decreases, his temperature rises slightly, and there may be diarrhea. But he is a carrier of the virus, so he can easily infect other family members.
Symptoms of the disease are easily confused with banal poisoning, salmonellosis and other diseases. Doctors cannot treat a patient until they make an accurate diagnosis. This can be done by testing for rotavirus infection.
Diagnosis of the disease
To make sure that they are not mistaken in the diagnosis, doctors ask the patient to take a test for rotavirus. It includes 3 components. First of all, it is a blood test. He can talk about the presence of a virus in the body if he shows moderate leukocytosis, which is replaced by leukopenia. Also, the patient must pass a urine test. But the most important study, without a doubt, is the analysis of feces for rotavirus. The maximum number of microorganisms in the stool occurs on the 3rd-5th day of illness, then you should take a fecal analysis, which will be the most reliable.
How to take an analysis
How to pass a fecal analysis correctly so that it shows a true result:
- One day before taking a stool test, you can not take laxatives, do an enema, use rectal suppositories.
- Feces should be immediately placed in a sterile container. It must not be allowed to come into contact with other objects, such as a toilet bowl or a pot. Urine must not get on it. Even toilet paper should not be used, otherwise the result will not be accurate. You need to collect no more than 2 g of feces.
- Immediately after collecting the material for stool analysis, it must be handed over to the laboratory. Should take no more than 3 hours. If it is not possible to immediately take him to the hospital, for some time he can stand at home, but in the refrigerator.
- On the jar, write the name and surname of the person who took the stool test, the date and time when the material was collected.
results
The results will be ready the next day. You can find out if a person really has this infection if the VP6 rotavirus antigen is detected. But the wrong result, both false positive and false negative, is not ruled out. If the doctor has doubts, he may ask to be tested for infection again. If the result of the analysis was negative, then this indicates that the patient has another disease that has similar symptoms. Sometimes a child suffers from both diarrhea and SARS at the same time, and doctors believe that this is rotavirus. The result of tests that were collected 8 or more days after the onset of the disease will also be negative, because. the concentration of the virus by that time is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to take tests at the beginning of the disease.