Wastewater Data Reveals Elevated Rotavirus Levels in U.S. Compared to Last Year

U.S. U.S. since January, with rates higher now than at this time last year. U.S. including the West and Midwest. “We’re seeing a lot of rotavirus in wastewater right now, definitely very high levels and that indicates to us that there are high levels of rotavirus infections in these communities,” said Dr.

Marlene Wolfe, WastewaterScan's program director and co-principal investigator. There has been a steady influx of children admitted for rotavirus at Oklahoma Children’s OU Health over the last two months. Dr. Stephanie Deleon, associate chief medical officer and a pediatric hospitalist at Oklahoma Children’s OU Health in Oklahoma City, stated that early rotavirus symptoms include a fever of about 101 Fahrenheit along with vomiting.

“Both of those go away pretty quickly, within a day to a day and a half,” said Dr. Stephanie Deleon.

Symptoms and Treatment Rotavirus diarrhea starts after initial symptoms and often involves upwards of 20-plus episodes per day.

Rotavirus symptoms last about three to eight days. There is no treatment for rotavirus infection other than supportive care such as fluids. Most patients Dr. Deleon sees in the hospital for rotavirus are too young to get the vaccine, haven’t received all doses, or are unvaccinated.

73.8% of children are vaccinated against rotavirus, according to the CDC. The national rotavirus vaccination rate has been steadily declining over the last eight years.

History and Impact The first oral rotavirus vaccine was approved 20 years ago.

Rotavirus vaccines are given starting at 2 months of age. Studies show that 9 out of 10 kids who get the rotavirus vaccine are protected from severe disease, and 7 out of 10 kids who get the rotavirus vaccine are protected from getting infected at all. The CDC estimates that rotavirus vaccines prevent between 40,000 to 50,000 hospitalizations among infants and young children every year.

, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, used to see 400 children every year at his hospital with severe dehydration from rotavirus.

Dr. Paul Offit treated a 9-month-old girl who died from rotavirus as a pediatric resident. “This child was perfectly healthy two days earlier,” said Dr. Paul Offit. Dr. Paul Offit helped develop RotaTeq, one of two vaccines approved for rotavirus.

Account and Policy Changes Ben Lopman’s 18-month-old son Ruben became listless due to severe dehydration from rotavirus in 2008 while the family lived in London.

Ruben was hospitalized and received intravenous fluids for rotavirus infection in 2008. Ben Lopman was an infectious disease epidemiologist living in London in 2008, used to study rotavirus for the CDC, and is now at Emory University. Ruben recovered from rotavirus.

The United Kingdom approved a rotavirus vaccine in 2013. Officials announced changes to the childhood immunization schedule earlier this year, including removing the rotavirus vaccine and telling parents to talk to their doctor before deciding to vaccinate.

Schedule changes to the childhood immunization schedule were put on hold by a federal judge last month. Dr. Yvonne Maldonado is Taube Endowed Professor of Global Health and Infectious Diseases at Stanford University.

Dr. Monica Gandhi is a UCSF infectious disease specialist. Rotavirus is spread by hands touching an infected surface then touching the mouth.