Rotavirus is Inactivated by Germicidal UV-C Light

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 epidemicsopen_in_new 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 wellsopen_in_new 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 foodopen_in_new — 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 always cook meat thoroughly according to the CDC’s 4 Steps to Food Safetyopen_in_new.

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Rotavirus: Classification & UV-C Dose for Inactivation

Organism:	Type:	Disease:	UV Dose*:
Rotavirus	Virus	Intestinal Disease	24.0 mJ/cm2

* Nominal germicidal UV dosage necessary to inactivate better than 99% of microorganism.

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.

• CDC: Rotavirusopen_in_new
• CDC: Rotavirus and Drinking Water from Private Wellsopen_in_new
• CDC: Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chillopen_in_new
• CDC: Stay Safe and Healthy in Your Backyard Poolopen_in_new

Dosage Source

Sensitivity of Bacteria, Protozoa, Viruses, and Other Microorganisms to Ultraviolet Radiation. Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 126, Article No. 126021. August 20, 2021.

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