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Disease groups:
At a glance
- Vaccine preventable – check who’s eligible
- Vaccine included on the National Immunisation Program – check who’s eligible
- Nationally notifiable disease
About rotavirus
Rotavirus is highly contagious. Infection with rotavirus is usually mild and most people recover quickly, but it can be serious, especially for certain groups.
Vaccination in infancy and good hygiene are the best ways to prevent the spread of rotavirus.
Why it matters to public health
Rotavirus can cause outbreaks and serious illness, especially in unvaccinated children and people who are immunocompromised.
Before rotavirus vaccination became part of the National Immunisation Program schedule in 2007, it was a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children in Australia.
Routine vaccination of babies has helped reduce the number of cases across all ages. Among children aged under 5 years, there has been a drop of about:
- 85% in acute gastroenteritis hospitalisations where rotavirus is detected
- 46% in hospital presentations for gastroenteritis.
But outbreaks still occur and can put pressure on our healthcare system and families.
Because of this, we:
- monitor and report on the number of cases in Australia
- encourage vaccination in babies younger than 6 months
- plan for how to manage major outbreaks.
Symptoms
If you’re looking for advice about your own health or treatment options, see healthdirect or speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Our role is to provide public health advice – information and guidance that helps prevent disease, protect communities and improve wellbeing at a population level.
Most people with rotavirus have no or mild symptoms and recover quickly. Symptoms are usually more severe in unvaccinated children and people who are immunocompromised.
Common symptoms include:
Some people can develop serious illness and might need hospitalisation.
Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of rotavirus.
healthdirect’s symptom checker can help you decide whether to see a healthcare professional.
Onset of symptoms
Symptoms usually start between 24 and 72 hours after being infected.
How it spreads
Rotavirus spreads very easily. It most often spreads through contact with:
- an infectious person
- vomit or diarrhoea
- contaminated objects, food and water
- droplets spread when an infectious person coughs or sneezes.
Most children have been exposed to rotavirus by 3 years of age and have developed some immunity. This reduces the risk of severe disease in later infections.
Infectious period
People with rotavirus are infectious from when their symptoms begin, for about 10 days.
Some people may be infectious for longer, including people who are immunocompromised.
Prevention
Vaccination
Vaccination in babies aged under 6 months is the best way to protect against severe illness from rotavirus.
It is very important for infants to be vaccinated on time, because there are age limits to vaccination.
Rotavirus vaccine is free for infants aged under 6 months through the National Immunisation Program.
Other prevention steps
You can protect against rotavirus by regularly washing your hands, especially:
- after going to the toilet
- before preparing, handling or eating food
- after changing a nappy
- after caring for anyone with rotavirus.
It’s also important to:
- not change nappies where you prepare or eat food
- use hot water and soap to wash objects, surfaces and clothes that have been in contact with diarrhoea or vomit then allow them to fully dry
- not go to a swimming pool or childcare centre for at least 24 hours after diarrhoea and vomiting are completely gone
- not prepare food for others until at least 48 hours after diarrhoea and vomiting are completely gone.
Your state or territory recommendations may be different. Always follow your local government’s advice.
Priority groups and settings
Some people are at greater risk of getting rotavirus or getting very sick from it.
Rotavirus can spread quickly in homes and other settings including:
- early childhood education and care centres
- schools
- hospitals
- residential care homes
- food venues.
Rotavirus is also more common in some remote communities and can spread quickly.
If you are at greater risk, it is especially important to:
- speak to your healthcare professional about booking your child’s free rotavirus vaccination
- take steps to protect yourself.
People at greater risk of severe disease
People at greater risk of severe disease from rotavirus include:
- infants and young children who are not immune (by past infection or vaccination), especially those aged under 2 years
- older adults
- people who are immunocompromised.
People at greater risk of exposure
Those most at risk of exposure include:
- children who attend early childhood education and care centres
- people who care for young children.
Diagnosis and treatment
If your health professional suspects you or your child has rotavirus, you may be asked to collect a stool sample. The sample will then be tested for rotavirus in a laboratory.
You can use healthdirect’s directory to find a health service near you.
There is no specific treatment for rotavirus.
If you or your child has rotavirus, it’s important to drink plenty of fluids.
Some people may need to go to hospital to manage symptoms or dehydration.
Read more about how to manage or treat rotavirus.
Surveillance and reporting
Rotavirus is a nationally notifiable disease – these are diseases that present a risk to public health.
Health authorities in each state and territory report cases to us daily through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
This is part of our surveillance activities, which help us monitor case numbers around the country and understand disease patterns.
We analyse the data and report on case numbers and other data through our data visualisation tool, where you can filter and search the latest information.
Outbreaks
State and territory health departments provide guidance and support for outbreaks of rotavirus or gastroenteritis in high-risk settings.
Read more about how the Australian Government defines and plans for outbreaks.
Support
For information about rotavirus in your state or territory see:
Quick links
Disease
Infectious agent
Rotavirus is a non-enveloped ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus in the Reoviridae family.
Clinical presentation
The clinical presentation of rotavirus infection ranges from asymptomatic to causing life-threatening gastroenteritis.
Symptoms, when present, include:
Symptoms are usually more severe in unvaccinated children and in people who are immunocompromised.
Serious complications include:
- dehydration, requiring hospitalisation
- seizures (in 2% to 3% of children with rotavirus gastroenteritis).[1]
Read more about the diagnosis and treatment of rotavirus.
Public health importance
Before rotavirus vaccination became part of the National Immunisation Program schedule in 2007, it was a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children in Australia.
Rotavirus remains a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis among young children globally, causing significant disease and death, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Outbreaks of rotavirus infection still occur domestically and can have a substantial impact on the healthcare system and families.
Because of this we monitor and report on the number of cases in Australia.
Epidemiology
Rotavirus infection is most commonly diagnosed in children aged under 5 years.
In 2024, there were more than 10,000 cases diagnosed in Australia – the highest number since it became nationally notifiable in 2018.
Since the rotavirus vaccine became part of the National Immunisation Program in 2007, in children aged under 5 years, there has been a reduction of:
- 85% in acute gastroenteritis hospitalisations where rotavirus is detected
- 46% in all-cause hospital presentations for gastroenteritis.[2]
Rotavirus hospitalisations have also decreased in older age groups, suggesting rotavirus vaccines may provide some population-level protection (herd immunity).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have higher rates of hospitalisation due to rotavirus than non-Indigenous children.[2]
For the latest information on rotavirus incidence, severity, transmission and virology in Australia see:
- the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) data visualisation tool
- Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program reports.
Spread of infection
Transmission
Rotavirus is highly contagious and is mainly spread through the faecal–oral route.
Transmission can happen through contact with:
- an infectious person
- vomit or diarrhoea
- contaminated objects, food and water
- respiratory droplets from an infectious person.
Incubation period
Symptoms usually start between 24 and 72 hours after exposure.
Infectious period
People with rotavirus are infectious during the acute stage of illness, for about 10 days. Some people may be infectious for longer, including people who are immunocompromised.
Priority populations
People at greater risk of severe disease
Rotavirus poses a greater risk of severe disease for:
- infants and young children who are not immune through past infection or vaccination, especially if aged under 2 years
- older adults
- people who are immunocompromised.
Read more about measures people can take to protect themselves.
People at greater risk of exposure
Those most at risk of exposure to rotavirus include:
- children who attend early childhood education and care centres
- people who care for young children
See what measures people can take to protect themselves.
Settings at increased risk of spread
Rotavirus can spread quickly in homes and other settings, including:
- early childhood education and care centres
- schools
- hospitals
- residential care homes
- food venues.
Rotavirus is also more common in some remote communities and can spread quickly.
A rotavirus outbreak in these settings may require a public health response.
Read more about the prevention, control and public health management of outbreaks.
Prevention
Vaccination
Rotavirus vaccination is provided free under the National Immunisation Program, and is recommended for all infants aged under 6 months.
Age upper limits apply, so it’s important for infants to be vaccinated on time.
Rotavirus vaccines prevent severe disease and reduce the risk of rotavirus infection in children. Other people in the population also appear to benefit from herd protection.
See the Australian Immunisation Handbook for more information, and who is eligible for free rotavirus vaccination under the National Immunisation Program.
Other prevention steps
Frequent hand hygiene prevents the spread of rotavirus, especially:
- after going to the toilet
- before preparing, handling or eating food
- after changing a nappy
- after caring for anyone with rotavirus.
It is also important to:
- not change nappies on surfaces where food is prepared or eaten
- use hot water and detergent or soap to wash objects, surfaces and clothes exposed to faeces or vomit, then allowing them to fully dry
- keep children home from childcare centres for at least 24 hours after diarrhoea and vomiting resolves
- not attend high-risk settings, or return to food-handling and preparation duties, for at least 48 hours after diarrhoea resolves
- not swim until at least 24 hours after diarrhoea resolves.
State and territory recommendations and regulations may differ and should be followed.
Diagnosis and clinical management
Diagnosis
Rotavirus infection is usually diagnosed through laboratory testing.
Rotavirus antigen testing requires a faecal sample.
Polymerase chain reaction testing may also be used to detect rotavirus RNA in a faecal sample.
Laboratory case definition
Rotavirus – Laboratory case definition
The Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) has developed standard case definitions for the diagnosis of key diseases in Australia. This document contains the laboratory case definition for rotavirus.
Clinical management
There is no specific treatment for rotavirus.
Clinical management consists of supportive care, including adequate fluid intake.
Some people may require hospitalisation for the management of symptoms or dehydration.
Read more about the clinical management of rotavirus.
Notification and reporting
Surveillance case definition
Rotavirus – Surveillance case definition
This document contains the surveillance case definition for rotavirus, which is nationally notifiable within Australia. State and territory health departments use this definition to decide whether to notify us of a case.
National notification and reporting
Rotavirus is a nationally notifiable disease. This means certain health professionals must report diagnoses through their relevant health authorities.
Check how to report laboratory-confirmed rotavirus cases or a related death in your state or territory:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia.
State and territory health authorities report new cases to us daily through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, as part of our surveillance activities.
We report case numbers and other data through our data visualisation tool, where you can filter and search the latest information.
Public health response
Management of cases
Public health investigation is not usually undertaken for individual rotavirus cases.
The recommendations for people with rotavirus infection vary by state and territory.
There may be specific restrictions for people who attend high-risk settings or who work in occupations where rotavirus can quickly spread. These include:
- early childhood education and care centres
- residential aged care homes
- healthcare facilities
- food handlers.
Management of contacts
Contact tracing and management is usually not undertaken for individual rotavirus cases.
Outbreak response
The public health response to rotavirus generally focuses on high-risk settings.
Special situations and high-risk settings
Special situations and high-risk settings might require extra infection prevention and control actions.
These include:
- early childcare education and care centres and schools – see guidance on preventing infectious diseases in these settings
- residential aged care homes – see guidance for outbreak coordinators for aged care
- other residential facilities, such as disability facilities
- healthcare facilities – see guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare
- some remote communities.
State and territory requirements should be followed, where these exist, as they may differ from national guidelines.
Resources
See:
- the Australian Immunisation Handbook
- Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services
- Gastro-info: Outbreak coordinators handbook
- the Australian guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare
- the healthdirect rotavirus infection web page
- Australian Rotavirus Surveillance Program reports.
For information relevant to your state or territory, see:
References
- 1 de Vries LS and Bearden D. ‘Neurologic complications of rotavirus in neonates: More common than we thought?’, Neurology. 2015, 84(1):13–4, doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001115.
- 2 Dey A, Jackson J, et al. ‘Australia's rotavirus immunisation program: Impact on acute gastroenteritis and intussusception hospitalisations over 13 years’, Vaccine, 2025, 52:126789. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.126789.