Enteroviruses

July 10, 2023

Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against the rising incidence of enterovirus infections in a few countries across Europe.
Enterovirus is an umbrella term used for a group of viruses, including, echovirus, coxsackievirus, enterovirus, and poliovirus.
Though the virus develops mild infection, it can be lethal among high risk groups like children and immuno-compromised patients.
They can infect anyone, but are more likely to cause illnesses in people with weak immune systems, as well as infants, children, and teens who don’t have immunity against a virus yet because it’s their first exposure to it.
Symptoms– The enterovirus infection manifests a range of symptoms among the patients for e.g. Hand, foot, and mouth disease, inflammatory muscle disease, skin rash, viral meningitis, encephalitis etc.
There are multiple transmission routes, particularly in the neonatal period, including intrapartum by exposure to maternal blood, secretions, and/or stool, or postnatally from close contacts with infected caregivers.
Treatment:
- There is no specific treatment for enterovirus infection.
- The focus is on easing symptoms until the infection has run its course, which usually takes only a few days.