Rotavirus stimulates release of serotonin (5-HT) from human enterochromaffin cells and activates brain structures involved in nausea and vomiting.

• Authors: Ahlman H, Buesa J, Engblom D, Hagbom M, Istrate C, Karlsson T, Loitto VM, Lundgren O, Magnusson KE, Rodriguez-Diaz J, Svensson L, Taylor JA
• Journal: PLoS Pathogens
• Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Rotavirus+stimulates+release+of+serotonin+(5-HT)+from+human+enterochromaffin+cells+and+activates+brain+structures+involved+in+nausea+and+vomiting

Rotavirus (RV) is the major cause of severe gastroenteritis in young children. A virus-encoded enterotoxin, NSP4 is proposed to play a major role in causing RV diarrhoea but how RV can induce emesis, a hallmark of the illness, remains unresolved.
Read More