Is Enterovirus D68 A New Virus?

Discussion Enteroviral infections are RNA viruses including Coxsackieviruses A and B, Echoviruses and Enteroviruses. They are common and spread by respiratory secretions, fecal-oral contamination and fomites. They commonly occur in summer and fall in temperate climates but are less seasonally seen in the tropics. Hand hygiene is especially important to prevent infection. The incubation period is usually 3-6 days. The viruses are best isolated from the throat, stool and rectal swab specimens but other infectious sites can also be used for viral isolation. Treatment is supportive. Infants, children and teens are more likely to be infected but all ages can be infected as these are very common viral illnesses. Common symptoms of enteroviral infections include fever, upper respiratory symptoms such as rhinorrhea, cough and sneezing, rashes and mouth ulcerations, body and muscle aches and conjunctivitis. Other less common problems include viral meningitis and encephalitis possibly with paralysis, and myocarditis and pericarditis. Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a non-polio enterovirus that usually causes fever, rhinorrhea, cough, sneezing, and body and muscle aches. Learning Point In the summer of 2014 the United States has had an outbreak of EV-D68 and it appeared early in the Midwest where this patient was seen. Although the patient was not tested, in retrospect this patient was probably an early case of EV-D68. EV-D68 is not a new virus but was originally isolated in 1962 in Calif...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news