rotavirus

American  

[roh-tuh-vahy-ruhs] / ˈroʊ təˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

rotaviruses plural

1. a double-stranded RNA virus of the genus Rotavirus, family Reoviridae, that is a major cause of infant diarrhea.

---

rotavirus British  

/ ˈrəʊtəˌvaɪrəs /

noun

1. any member of a genus of viruses that cause worldwide endemic infections. They occur in birds and mammals, cause diarrhoea in children, and are usually transmitted in food prepared with unwashed hands

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rotaviruses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rotavirus

1974; < Latin rota wheel + virus

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rotavirus rotaviruses

Murray points out rotavirus, which lost its general recommendation status with the new schedule.

From Slate ● Jan. 9, 2026

Other changes include dropping a mandatory hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, as well as identifying bacterial meningitis, rotavirus and COVID-19 as recommended only for “high risk groups.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026

Now 11 vaccines are recommended for all children, while immunizations against influenza, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, COVID-19 and RSV pushed into “high-risk” or “shared clinical decision-making” categories.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 6, 2026

Vaccines not recommended for all children in Denmark include those for chickenpox, rotavirus, meningococcal and hepatitis A.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025

But the mRNA vaccines are "remarkably safe" and key to helping prevent against severe infections from viruses like Covid, said Dr Offit, who invented the rotavirus vaccine.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2025

While cholera is caused by bacteria, water transmits viruses too, including hepatitis A and E viruses, rotaviruses, noroviruses and polioviruses.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 1, 2022

Other viruses detected in the study that can infect people include influenza B, Norwalk, human parainfluenza virus 2, rotaviruses, and orthoreoviruses.

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 16, 2022

All the rotaviruses, gone, a great mercy to children in developing countries who die by the hundreds of thousands each year.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 14, 2021