The nurse is teaching a class on child care to new parents. Which instruction should be included about the prevention of rotavirus infection in infants who are starting to eat foods?

Rationale: A. Keep house pets away from the food preparation area: While maintaining hygiene around pets is good practice, rotavirus is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route between humans, so pet contact is not a major factor in prevention. B. Use only lactose-free formulas: Lactose-free formulas address lactose intolerance but do not prevent rotavirus infection. Formula type has no impact on viral transmission. C. Avoid feeding infants fresh fruits: Fresh fruits are generally safe and do not increase the risk of rotavirus infection if proper hand hygiene and food handling practices are followed. Avoiding fruits is unnecessary. D. Wash hands before any food preparation: Rotavirus is highly contagious and spreads via the fecal-oral route. Proper handwashing before preparing or feeding food is a key preventive measure to reduce the risk of infection in infants.