Rotavirus antigen

Your doctor may order a rotavirus antigen test if you show symptoms of rotavirus infection. Symptoms usually show up after two days of exposure to the virus. Vomiting and diarrhoea are the most common symptoms. Other symptoms include: 

• Fever
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Dehydration
• Loss of appetite

Diarrhoea may lead to dehydration in some cases, which manifests as:

• Dizziness when you stand up
• Dry mouth and throat
• Less urination than usual

In children, the symptoms related to dehydration may be as follows:

• Thirst 
• Being cranky and restless
• Sunken eyes
• Dry mouth and tongue
• Dry skin
• Sunken soft spot on the head 
• Less urination
• Dry diaper for hours

You do not need any preparation for this test. Inform your doctor if you are taking any prescribed, non-prescribed and illicit medicines or vitamins and supplements.

A stool sample is collected for rotavirus detection. Your healthcare practitioner will give a plastic container for the collection of the sample. The sample can be collected in the following way:

• Label the container with your name, date of birth and the date of collection of sample. 
• Place a potty seat or an empty plastic container in the toilet seat. You can even wrap a clean newspaper or plastic wrap on the rim of the toilet seat. 
• The stool should not touch the inner area of the toilet. 
• Now, using a spoon or spatula, collect the stool in the container and close the lid. 
• The stool sample should be filled to one-third of the container. 
• Put the material used for collection in a plastic bag and discard it in the dustbin. 
• Rinse your hands properly with soap and warm water after the test.

The stool sample should be collected when the person has diarrhoea. If the test is ordered for babies, attach a plastic wrap to a diaper and position it properly to avoid getting urine in the stool sample.

Normal results:

A normal result means that no rotavirus is detected in your stools.

Abnormal results:

An abnormal result is reported as positive for the rotavirus antigen. It indicates that you may have a rotavirus infection.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.