Expected use
This test card, with high sensitivity and specificity, adopts the immunochromatographic colloidal gold system for the qualitative detection of group A rotavirus in human fecal samples. The operation is easy and safe, and the result is reliable. The whole operating process takes only 10 minutes. It is designed for clinical diagnosis in hospitals, clinics and remote areas. No special equipment or instruments are required for this test.
Summary and explanation
Rotaviruses are one of the leading causes of pediatric gastroenteritis and diarrhea worldwide. Improved food, water, and hygiene have done nothing to reduce the incidence of rotavirus disease. Almost all children on the planet can be infected by the age of 5. Scientists say the families of the 900,000 young children around the world who die each year from rotaviruses. Many of them contract it between December and April in the temperate climates of the northern hemisphere. Most of these deaths occur in developing countries. The infection usually begins with a fever. Soon the little one begins to vomit and his belly hurts. The vomiting goes away, followed by watery diarrhea that lasts 3 to 9 days. Most of the time, children recover with little difficulty. Sometimes severe dehydration occurs.
The extreme dehydration that rotaviruses can cause is second only to dehydration caused by cholera. The infection starts suddenly and lasts an average of four to six days. Rotaviruses are extremely contagious. Only a few particles are needed to transmit the infection. They originate in feces, but are found throughout the environment where young children spend a lot of time, especially during the winter months. They are resistant to disinfectants used to clean surfaces and antibacterial agents for hand washing. Rotavirus particles remain active on human hands for at least 4 hours, on hard, dry surfaces for 10 days, and in damp areas for weeks.
Untreated rotavirus infection can lead to serious illness with dehydration and disturbances of the body's normal electrolyte balance, especially in infants and preschool-age children. Rotavirus is the cause of up to 50% of hospitalized cases of diarrheal disease in infants and young children. Rotavirus-induced dehydration is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity in both developed and underdeveloped countries, and one of the leading causes of infant mortality in developing countries. The highest prevalence of the disease is experienced in temperate climates during the coldest months of the year. In tropical climates, rotavirus infection can occur throughout the year.
