The discovery of Rotavirus

In 1943, Jacob Light and Horace Hodes demonstrated that there is a viral vector in children infected with infectious diarrhea, which can also cause diarrhea in livestock . Thirty years later, the virus was preserved as a sample of rotavirus. During the intervening years, the virus in mice showed a correlation with viruses that caused diarrhea. In 1973, Ruth Bishop of Australia described a similar virus in a study on gastroenteritis in children.

Computer reconstructed images of rotavirus particles In 1974, Thomas Henry Flewett, after observing the virus through an electron microscope, suggested that it be named "rotavirus" Because the rotavirus particles look like wheels, while the Latin "rota" means "round"; the name four years later by the International Committee on Virus Classification (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses) officially recognized. In 1976, similar viruses were also described in many other species of animals. The viruses described in these reports all contribute to acute gastroenteritis and are identified as collective pathogens affecting humans and animals around the world. Rotavirus serotypes were first published in 1980, and in the following year, rotaviruses from the human body are produced by the addition of trypsin, an enzyme found in the mammalian duodenum, now known as rotavirus replication ) Was successfully cultivated for the first time in a cell culture obtained from a monkey kidney in a natural environment. The ability to successfully cultivate rotaviruses has accelerated the pace of research, and in the mid-1980s, the first candidate vaccines had begun to be evaluated.

In 1998, the first rotavirus vaccine was licensed in the United States. In the United States, Finland and Venezuela clinical trials found that the vaccine can be successful for the prevention of rotavirus A kinds of severe diarrhea rate as high as 80% to 100%, and the researchers did not find significant adverse drug reactions. However, after the vaccine was found to increase the risk of intussusception (ie, a type of bowel obstruction), vaccine manufacturers withdrew all of the vaccine from the market in 1999. Studies have shown that every 12,000 doses of vaccine Infants have a symptom of intussusception. The experience also sparked a heated debate about the risks and benefits associated with rotavirus vaccines. In 2006, two new vaccines against rotavirus A proved to be safe and effective for children.

Basic information on rotavirus

Rotavirus is one of the major pathogens causing diarrhea in infants. It mainly infects small intestinal epithelial cells, resulting in cell damage and diarrhea. Rotavirus in the summer and autumn and winter each year, the infection pathways for the fecal - oral route, the clinical manifestations of acute gastroenteritis, was osmotic diarrhea, duration of 7 days, fever for 3 days, vomiting 2 to 3 days, diarrhea 5 Day, severe dehydration symptoms.

Rotavirus (Rotavirus, referred to as RV) is a double-stranded ribonucleic acid virus, belonging to the reovirus family. It is the single major cause of infant and infant diarrhea. Almost every child in the world, about five years of age, has been infected with rotavirus at least once. However, after each infection will gradually increase the body's immune system, the impact of subsequent infection will be reduced, so adults are rarely affected. A total of seven species of rotavirus, numbered in English letters A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Among them, A species is the most common one, and human rotavirus infection in more than 90% of the cases are also caused by the species.

Rotavirus is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. It infects intestinal cells (enterocytes) that are linked to the small intestine and produce enterotoxins, which cause gastroenteritis, leading to severe diarrhea, and sometimes even death from dehydration. Although the rotavirus was discovered by Ruth Bishop of Australia in 1973 and caused more than 50% of infants and toddlers to be hospitalized for severe diarrhea, in the public health community It is still not widely appreciated, especially in developing countries. In addition to the impact on human health, rotavirus can also infect animals, is one of the pathogens of livestock.

Epidemic situation

The number of infant deaths due to rotavirus infection is about 900,000 annually all over the world. the majority of which occur in developing countries. In China, the number of infants and young children under 0 ~ 2 years old is about 40 million (including newborns), about 10 million infants and young children each year rotavirus infection gastroenteritis, the number of infants and young children 1/4, is Causing severe diarrhea in infants and young children the most important pathogens.

Perniciousness

Rotavirus infection from asymptomatic, mild to severe disease, severe fatal gastroenteritis, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Symptoms of rotavirus gastroenteritis include fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and no watery diarrhea, symptoms lasting 3 to 9 days.

Vaccine use

Rotavirus vaccines are live attenuated recombinant vaccines. Inoculation of the object is mainly 2 months to 5 years of age infants and young children. How to use: Open the cap by hand, use the straw to absorb the vaccine, directly to infants and young children, the amount of oral once per person 3ml, do not use hot water delivery service.

Early winter rotavirus infection in infants and young children, no rapid clinical efficacy of drug treatment. Some experts reminded, "Parents in the illness during childhood should not be indiscriminate use of antibiotics, to prevent adverse consequences."

In recent years, many children choose to inoculate rotavirus vaccine, but there are many types of rotavirus, at present, test equipment can only detect the virus, can not detect which type of virus belongs to, so after vaccination still Chance of infection, but even after the infection may have Bacheng probability of infection to avoid severe.