Last Updated on January 5, 2024
What is Rotavirus?
Rotavirus is a virus that primarily affects infants and young children under 5 years old, causing intestinal disease. While adults can become infected, their disease is usually milder. In the United States and other countries with a temperate climate, the disease has a winter and spring seasonal pattern, with annual epidemics 
occurring from January through June.
Preventing the Spread of Rotavirus
Rotavirus can spread by the following means :
- Swallowing food or water contaminated with Rotavirus
- Putting unwashed hands that are contaminated with poop into your mouth
- Touching contaminated objects or surfaces and then putting fingers in your mouth
People who are infected with rotavirus shed the virus in their poop. This is how the virus gets into the environment and can infect other people. Regular hand hygiene and surface disinfection are important preventative measures. Since this virus can be found in contaminated water, proper water purification is a vital component in preventing the spread of Rotavirus. Since household wells can be a source of Rotavirus infection, they should be tested regularly and properly maintained. Pools and other recreational water sources should be properly disinfected. This virus can also be spread through food — either due to poor hand hygiene of food handlers or because raw produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. Wash all fruits and vegetables well under running water and cook meat thoroughly .
Get Additional Protection with Germicidal UV Disinfection
In addition to the above preventative measures, Germicidal Ultraviolet (UV-C) surface disinfection can inactivate Rotavirus in many applications. Our products use STER-L-RAY® Germicidal UV-C Lamps producing ultraviolet wavelengths at 254 nanometers, the region of germicidal effectiveness most destructive to harmful microorganisms.
Germicidal Ultraviolet (UV-C) Water Purification can inactivate Rotavirus in drinking water or water used for food preparation. View our application page on Well Water Contamination for more information on how UV purification can help protect your well water against Rotavirus and many other harmful microorganisms. Germicidal UV Disinfection can be used to protect pools and other recreational water sources from various pathogens . UV-C disinfection will also inactivate this virus on surfaces that could be contaminated. Please see dosage data listed below.
Rotavirus: Classification & UV-C Dose for Inactivation
| Organism: | Alternate Name: | Type: | Disease: | UV Dose*: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotavirus | — | Virus | — | 24.0 mJ/cm2 |
Who does it affect?
Where can it be found?
What can it infect?
How does it spread?
People at High Risk for Contracting an Infection
While anyone can contract a Rotavirus infection, certain people are at higher risk :
- People working in childcare settings
- People who are in close contact with infants and young children
Rotavirus Symptoms
Disease from Rotavirus is characterized by the following symptoms for 3 to 8 days:
- Vomiting
- Watery diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
Additional symptoms include loss of appetite and dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration for your child may include:
- Decreased urination
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
- Crying with few or no tears
- Unusual sleepiness or fussiness
Sources on Rotavirus
The above information can be found on the following pages. Please read complete articles to learn more.
- CDC: Rotavirus
- CDC: Rotavirus and Drinking Water from Private Wells
- CDC: Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill
- CDC: Stay Safe and Healthy in Your Backyard Pool
* Nominal germicidal UV dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganism.
Learn More & Shop Our Products to Inactivate Rotavirus
Made in the USA from U.S. and imported parts, the UV Water Purification and UV Air & Surface Disinfection product lines from Atlantic Ultraviolet Corporation® are constructed of the highest quality materials and use germicidal UV-C lamps to disinfect water, air, and surfaces—inactivating microorganisms like Rotavirus.
Learn Here! Ultraviolet.com
- Download UV-C Air & Surface Documents from our PDF Library
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View our Infographic on Rotavirus
