India, Aug. 17 -- Ihave heard a lot about rotavirus infection and the availability of a vaccine. How do I make a qualified decision regarding vaccination? Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis in young children. It infects and damages the cells that line the small intestine. It is estimated that the virus leads to over 2.4 million hospitalisations in infants and children under 5, with 114 million episodes requiring home care annually worldwide (1). It is also a leading cause of diarrhoea in hospitalised children; globally, there are 1.7 billion childhood cases of such cases, and India contributes significantly (2) to this number. Rotavirus is a double-stranded ribonucleic acid virus, named for its wheel-shaped appearance on electron microscopy. It spreads through contaminated hands, fomites, food and water. The infection can lead to high fever and severe symptoms like diarrhoea and vomiting, which result in dehydration. Please do not panic. While dehydration is a concern, this is how it can be prevented: Zinc supplementation is recommended, as it decreases the duration and severity of episodes and reduces the risk of recurrence of diarrhoea in the short term. Zinc Sulphate (4): Paracetamol can be given for fever. Medication can be administered for vomiting and abdominal pain in consultation with your paediatrician. Antibiotics have no role to play. Probiotics: Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit. There is evidence to suggest that Lactobacillus GG, Bifidobacterium, and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) help reduce the duration of diarrhoea (5). References: 1. Goretty Laker. BMC Pediatr. 2024 2. who.int/news-room. 7.03.2024 3. unicef.org/supply/.2022 4. who.int/tools/elena/. 09.08.2023 5. Hania Szajewska. JPGN, 2022 6. cdc.gov/rotavirus/hcp. 2024 7. Alec Gleason. Vaccine. 2024 The author is a leading paediatric gastroenterologist and hepatologist with over three decades of experience and five books to his credit, including Is Your Child Ready to Face the World?...