1991/05/01 by S. A. Ansari, V. S. Springthorpe, V. Susan Springthorpe +2 · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Medicine · #Food Safety and Hygiene #Infection Control and Ventilation #Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
paper · doi:10.1093/clinids/13.3.448
openalex publication_date 1991/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/15
In developing countries rotavirus infections account for nearly 6% of all diarrheal episodes and for 20% of diarrhea-associated deaths of young children. Even in industrialized countries rotavirus diarrhea in the young is among the leading causes of hospitalization. In temperate regions institutional outbreaks of the disease occur mainly in cold dry weather, whereas in tropical settings the seasonality is less well defined. Waterborne outbreaks of rotavirus gastroenteritis have been recorded; air, hands, fomities, and food may also act as vehicles for this infection. Rotaviruses can survive for weeks in potable and recreational waters and for at least 4 hours on human hands. In air and on nonporous inanimate surfaces, the survival of rotaviruses is favored by a relative humidity of less than or equal to 50% and viral infectivity can be retained for several days. Rotaviruses are relatively resistant to commonly used hard-surface disinfectants and hygienic hand-wash agents.