Short answers, pulled from the story.
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and small intestine that caused two billion people to fall ill in 2015. This number represents nearly one-third of the global population and resulted in 1.3 million deaths that year.
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children globally, while norovirus accounts for about 90% of viral gastroenteritis epidemics in America among adults. These pathogens target the gastrointestinal tract and cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Children under the age of two in developing regions may suffer six or more infections annually, which stunts physical growth and delays cognitive development. Persistent diarrhea in these areas leads to long-term health consequences that extend far beyond the initial infection.
The World Health Organization recommended the rotavirus vaccine for all children globally in 2009. Since the year 2000, the implementation of a rotavirus vaccination program in the United States has substantially decreased the number of diarrhea cases by as much as 80 percent.
The preferred treatment for mild to moderate cases of gastroenteritis is simple rehydration with oral rehydration solution, which is a combination of water, salts, and sugar. Antibiotics are generally not needed and are discouraged unless symptoms are particularly severe or a specific bacterial cause is isolated.
In 1980, gastroenteritis from all causes caused 4.6 million deaths in children, a figure that was reduced significantly to approximately 1.5 million deaths annually by 2000. This reduction was largely due to the introduction and widespread use of oral rehydration therapy.