In Australia, up to 10,000 children under five are hospitalised due to severe rotavirus astroenteritis each year¹

Rotavirus gastroenteritis (a type of ‘gastro’) is caused by a viral infection called rotavirus that can cause symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting and fever.² Rotavirus gastroenteritis affects over one hundred thousand children each year in Australia.¹

Protect your child from rotavirus

Rotavirus is highly contagious and even with high standards in sanitation and hygiene it cannot always be easily avoided.³ Vaccination is considered the optimal approach to prevent gastroenteritis.^3,4

What is it?

Gastroenteritis, 'gastro', 'a stomach bug' or 'stomach flu' - these are terms used to refer to a bowel infection that causes diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting and fever. Although everyone is at risk, children younger than five years are more likely to get gastro.

Viral versus bacterial

There are a large number of viruses and bacteria that can cause gastro. A 'virus' is the usual culprit, particularly in young children - the most common type is called 'rotavirus'. Nearly all children will have at least one bout of rotavirus gastro before the age of five.

Gastro caused by a virus – usually Rotavirus

The symptoms can start suddenly with vomiting although vomiting may not occur. Bowel motions are watery, frequent and do not contain blood. Other symptoms of gastro include fever, loss of appetite and stomach (tummy) pains.

Gastro caused by bacteria

The symptoms of bacteria gastro are similar to gastro caused by a virus, but kids may have a higher fever and the diarrhoea may contain blood and mucus.

Gastro caused by parasites

There are other organisms called parasites that can also cause gastro in kids. Due to high standards of sanitation and hygiene parasites are not a common cause of gastro in Australian children. One of the parasites you may have heard of is Giardia.

Parasites such as Giardia are usually caught during overseas travel, rather than in Australia.

References. 1. Galati J et al. Aust NZ J Public Health 2006;30:416-421. 2. Newall et al. J Paediatr Child Health 2006;42:521-527. 3. Dennehy et al. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2000;19:S103-5. 4. Kirkwood C and Buttery J. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2003;3:97-105.