Abstract
This article summarizes basic virological , epidemiological and clinical characteristics of rotaviruses, respectively rotavirus infections. The disease transmission occurs mostly via faecal oral route, the options of nonspecific prevention are limited.
The classical clinical picture of rotavirus gastroenteritis includes fever 38-40oC for 2-4 days, repeated vomiting, watera stools without additives for 4-5 days and loos of appetite. Significantly meteoristic abdomen may create the impression of acute abdomen.
The clinically most important complications include dehydratation, seizures or secondary malabsorption, exceptionally meningoencephalitis. The risk of hospitalization for children from the district of Pilsen-city with rotavirus infection was calculated in 2010 as follows: for children under 3 years of age - 561.3/100 000, for salmonellosis this risk was approximately 7 times lower.
By the end of 2009 flat vaccination was introduced in 23 countries worldwide; vaccination against rotavirus infections has been introduced in several European countries too (Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland, Lithuania). Even after a short period of time from the introduction of vaccination a decline in overall morbidity fot diarrhea diseases and significant decraese in hospitalizations with these diseases has been documented.
So far there are onla general, prospective considerations about the inclision of this vaccination into the vaccination calendar of the Czech Republic. According to data from August 2010 at least 1 child has been vaccinated by only about 43% of 2106 surveyed general practitioners for children and adolescents - the vaccination rate of children born in 2010 is around 7-8%.