Pathogenesis of Rotavirus in Humans

Rotavirus (RV) mainly infects mature enterocytes from intestinal villus. The replication cycle includes cellular binding, penetration, transcription, assembly, and virus release. The reservoirs for RV are the gastrointestinal tract and the feces of infected humans. There is increasing evidence of zoonotic RV transmission to humans, in the form of animal strains infecting humans and through reassortment of animal RV genes strains during mixed infections. The clinical spectra for RV infections range from asymptomatic infection through fatal gastroenteritis (GE). Epithelia dysfunction plays an important role in viral pathogenesis. The importance of the immune system in the defense against RV infections is supported by the fact that children and mice with T and/or B immunodeficiencies develop chronic infections and extraintestinal viral dissemination. There are three key elements for treatment of RV GE: replacement of lost fluids, nutritional support and early introduction to a normal diet, and symptomatic treatment of fever and vomiting.