Transmission

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Rotavirus spreads easily among young children. Children can spread the virus both before and after they become sick with diarrhea. They can also pass rotavirus to family members and other people with whom they have close contact.

Rotavirus is shed (passed from a person’s body into the environment) in feces (stool) of infected persons. The virus spreads by the fecal-oral route; this means that the virus must be shed by an infected person and then enter a susceptible person’s mouth to cause infection.

Rotavirus can be spread by contaminated

• Hands
• Objects (toys, surfaces)
• Food
• Water

In the United States, rotavirus infections can cause diarrhea in adults who care for children, in older adults, and in adults who are traveling. Children are most likely to get rotavirus in the winter and spring (December through June).