Attention: Enterovirus D68 may affect your children

The D68 infection was first discovered in 1962 in California. It has small incidence around the U.S before. But now, it causes a widespread misery. According to CDC, more than 100 cases of EV-D68 in a dozen states were confirmed as of Sept. 16. And here is an general introduction about this terrible disease.

Susceptible population

Children, particularly those under five and who have respiratory troubles, such as allergies or asthma, are more at risk.

Mode of transmission

Much like the common cold, the virus is transmitted through close contact, from nose or throat secretions. "EV-D68 likely spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches contaminated surfaces," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Common symptoms

Most start with common cold symptoms of runny nose and cough. Some, but not all, may also have fever. For more severe cases, difficulty breathing, wheezing or problems catching your breath may occur.

Differences from cold

If there's no shortness of breath, no difficulty breathing, no wheezing or extremely high fever, there would be no reason to go and seek help. But if it's affecting the breathing in those ways, then it's time to get help.

Prevention

Wash hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Make sure you clean in between the fingers and under the nails, where germs can collect.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid kissing, hugging and sharing utensils with people who are sick.

Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs.

Teach kids how to cough safely – into their elbow, not their hands.

Treatment

There is no vaccine, anti-viral or penicillin-like treatment for the virus. But there are some supportive treatments. In cases of pleurodynia, treatment consists of analgesics to relieve the severe pain that occurs in patients with the disease; in some severe cases, opiates may be needed. Treatment for aseptic meningitis caused by enteroviruses is also mainly symptomatic. In patients with enteroviral carditis, treatment consists of the prevention and treatment of complications, such as arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, and cardiac failure. Other treatments that have been investigated for enteroviral carditis include intravenous immunoglobulin.