Clinical, laboratory, and epidemiologic features of a viral gastroenteritis in infants and children.

We studied 27 infants admitted to the hospital with acute diarrhea caused by human rotavirus (HRV) and obtained additional data on fecal excretion from ten outpatients with the same infection. The disease was characterized by watery diarrhea with fever and vomiting at the onset, isotonic dehydration, compensated metabolic acidosis, and increased concentrations of sodium and chloride but low concentrations of sugar in stools. Diarrhea usually ceased in three to four days when oral feedings were reduced or stopped but recurred mildly in four patients. Of 57 household contacts, 12 were symptomatic, 6 had HRV in their stools, and 19 had significantly increased serum HRV antibody titers. These features of the disease accord with available information on the pathogenesis of HRV infection. Knowledge of the clinical pattern of this newly diagnosable infection should help physicians to recognize and treat quickly this highly infectious, potentially dangerous illness.