rotavirus

[ roh-tuh-vahy-ruhs ]

noun

, plural ro·ta·vi·rus·es.

1. a double-stranded RNA virus of the genus Rotavirus, family Reoviridae, that is a major cause of infant diarrhea.

rotavirus

/ ˈrəʊtəˌvaɪrəs /

noun

1. any member of a genus of viruses that cause worldwide endemic infections. They occur in birds and mammals, cause diarrhoea in children, and are usually transmitted in food prepared with unwashed hands

Word History and Origins

Origin of rotavirus¹

1974; < Latin rota wheel + virus

Example Sentences

The rotavirus vaccine, for example, is an unmitigated success, but it can lead to intussusception — a life-threatening condition in which the intestine folds in on itself — in about 0.02 percent of children who are vaccinated.

From New York Times

"Robert F Kennedy Junior called me and he said that he needed my help," says the scientist, whose vaccine against rotavirus is estimated to save some two thousand lives a day in the developing world.

From BBC

These include doses against the deadly rotavirus infection in children, the agency said in emailed comments.

From Reuters

Rotavirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis in children, and the reported rotavirus rate in New South Wales, Australia, so far this year is five times what it usually is.

From Salon

Other vaccine-preventable diseases like chickenpox, rubella, and rotavirus killed an average of about 20-50 children and teens a year before vaccines became available.

From Seattle Times