Rotavirus diarrhea can cause organ disturbances and even death

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Pediatrician dr. Titis Widowati, Sp.A(K) said diarrhea with a viral infection from rotavirus could be at risk of a high death rate because it can attack organs outside the digestive tract which are often not realized.

“In fact, there are many complications outside the digestive tract caused by viruses or rotaviruses that are of concern because treatment is difficult and the risk of mortality is high,” said Titis in a Health radio discussion on Recognizing Rotavirus Diarrhea which was attended online in Jakarta, Friday.

He explained that rotavirus has a toxin that has the property of destroying cells in the digestive tract so that it can finally penetrate into the blood circulation. If it has spread to the blood circulation, it can attack other organs of the body such as the brain which can cause neurological symptoms up to meningitis infection and loss of consciousness.

In addition, if it has attacked the lungs, pneumonia or lung infection will occur, kidney failure up to the heart which can cause inflammation of the heart to hepatitis.

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Diarrhea infection due to rotavirus, said Titis, has almost the same symptoms as diarrhea caused by bacteria, but it is more severe because the toxin in rotavirus can cause seizures because it is neurotoxic.

Apart from that, it can also trigger severe vomiting and waste of more fluids which can cause complications from dehydration to electrolyte deficiencies.

“So for example dehydration, he loses a lot of fluids through the blood or through vomiting, not only water is excreted but also electrolytes and there will be disturbances in electrolyte balance, this disorder can be dangerous because it will interfere with the function of other organs,” he said.

Electrolyte fluids that come out with diarrhea, said Titis, can be potassium and sodium. If the potassium level is very low, it will interfere with heart function so that the child can experience cardiac arrest because potassium functions to pump the heart.

Meanwhile, if the lack of sodium, children can experience seizures.

Titis said several efforts could be made to prevent diarrhea, namely by always washing hands before and after eating and after going to the bathroom, consuming uncontaminated foods by paying attention to how to cook them with clean water and cooking them properly, and always keeping the environment clean. sources of clean water, and paying attention to faecal disposal facilities.

However, rotavirus is able to survive in cold and ordinary weather for a long time so that it has the potential to spread from person to person to the environment. So that the best effort to reduce the incidence of rotavirus to date is rotavirus vaccination.

“The rotavirus vaccine currently circulating is monovalent and pentavalent, movalent at the age of six weeks, the interval for the second administration is four weeks and he must have finished giving it at the age of 24 weeks, whereas if the pentavalent one is given the first one, it is six to 12. week then the next administration at intervals of four weeks, “said Titis.

The rotavirus vaccine is given in the form of drops and is expected to be completed at the age of 6 months with the aim of preventing rotavirus infection at a young age of zero to two years.

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