Rotavirus

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/rotavirus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Genus: Rotavirus, Family: Reoviridae
2. What is the genome structure?Segmented double-stranded RNA (11 segments)
3. What is rotavirus and how does it make kids feel sick?Rotavirus is a tiny virus that can cause tummy troubles, leading to watery diarrhea and dehydration. It mainly hurts the small intestine, making kids feel very sick.
4. How does rotavirus spread from person to person?It spreads mainly through the fecal‑oral route, especially when people don’t have clean water or good hygiene. Close living conditions can also help it spread.

Enterocytes: The cells that line the small intestine and are responsible for absorbing nutrients.
Fecal-Oral Route: The transmission of infectious agents through contact with feces and then the mouth.
Serotypes: Distinct variations within a virus species, often identified by surface proteins like G and P types in rotavirus.