What do parents need to know about Enterovirus D68?
Enterovirus D68 is a respiratory illness that’s been spreading through parts of the United States.
Children across the U.S. and some parts of Canada are turning up in hospitals with cold like symptoms and struggling to breathe. Public health officials are on high alert for potential outbreaks.
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Here’s what parents need to know about symptoms, who’s most vulnerable, treatment and prevention when it comes to EV-D68.
What are enteroviruses?
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Enteroviruses are a group of viruses comprised of more than 100 different types of strains. Only some affect humans and enterovirus D68 happens to be one of them.
Other common enteroviruses include Coxsackie A19 and EV-71.
It’s has been a relatively rare virus. The reason for that lies in that the genetic makeup of EV-D68 doesn’t evolve as quickly as the seasonal flu virus, so we only see waves of EV-D68 every few years.
North America may be entering a wave of enterovirus now, but it might not re-emerge for another five years to a decade. In this case, it started in the Philippines in 2009; clusters were then reported in New York City that year, the Netherlands by 2010 and it spread around the world from there.
The virus was first identified in California in 1962, but it has not been commonly reported in the United States. Doctors are not required to report this information to health departments. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not know how many infections and deaths from EV-D68 occur each year in the United States.
What are the symptoms?
EV-D68 presents more or less the same way as the common cold. Children will initially have the exact same symptoms, which include a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, a cough, body aches and muscle aches. Some even have a fever.
Some children have been suffering from a partial paralysis. Some of these children, but not all of them, have tested positive for EV-D68. The CDC isn’t sure if this paralysis is being directly caused by EV-D68. If it is, this may be happening because EV-D68 is similar to the polio virus.
The key factor to watch out for is how the illness progresses, so pay close attention to your child’s symptoms and if they worsen, seek immediate medical aid.
Parents might say my child’s really struggling to breathe. It happens quickly, too. If your child falls sick with what appears to be a cold, within 12 to 24 hours you could be in hospital if he or she is responding poorly to this enterovirus.
Because it’s so similar to the common cold, testing is required to confirm if someone has EV-D68, or the common cold.
Who is most vulnerable?
In healthy adults, enterovirus wouldn’t lead to any serious concerns, but it’s young children who are most vulnerable, especially if they have additional respiratory issues, such as asthma. 70% of the time, the children turning up in a hospital with EV-D68 are asthmatic. Children with cystic fibrosis or any other underlying lung disease also appear to be harder hit.
Younger children, between 2 and 8 years old, are also at an increased risk, but children up to 17 years old still have an increased risk. Deaths are very rare with EV-D68. Four deaths from EV-D68 infection have been confirmed. The role the virus played in the deaths is unclear.
What are the treatment options?
There are no vaccines or specific medications for enterovirus D-68. Eventually people recover on their own.
The treatment that is done has to do with relieving the symptoms. If children are wheezing or struggling to breathe, they’re given medication to help the airways relax. In some cases, they’re given oxygen. Pain medication may be given, but not aspirin should not be given
Bed rest, staying hydrated and monitoring patients’ health is also important. Within a few days, the immune system should take over. Some children could be in intensive care units for less than two days, others might be taken care of for up to a week.
How do you prevent it?
EV-D68 spreads just like the flu, through coughing, sneezing or close contact with infected patients.
Because the virus is affecting North America while school is in session, health officials and school boards are recommending that anyone with cold like symptoms, should stay home. They are also sending kids home with cold like symptoms.
The most effective measures you can take to protect yourself and children against enteroviruses such as EV-D68 are:
1. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
2. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer.
3. Wash your hands: before and after eating, after you have been in a public place, after using the washroom, after coughing and sneezing, after touching common surfaces
4. Cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand
5. Keep your hands away from your face
6. Keep common surface areas clean and disinfected
7. If you get sick, stay home
How To Strengthen Immune Systems:
A strong immune system is one of the best defenses against any virus, including EV-D68. You can strengthen your immune system and your child’s immune system by:
1. Consuming more nutritious foods including; fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, herbal spices and anti-viral plants, which include peppermint, basil, rosemary, cinnamon and oregano, just to name a few.
2. Staying away from junk food, soda, sugar and processed foods.
3. Eat probiotic rich foods such as fermented vegetables, yogurt and kefir.
4. Drink plenty of pure water, preferably filtered.
5. Try to reduce your stress levels and also learn how to handle stress better, which is easier said than done.
6. Get 8 hours of quality sleep per night and try to go to bed the same time every day.
7. Exercise regularly
8. Make sure that you are getting enough vitamin D, through sunshine or supplementation.
Where is it in the United States?
From mid-August through Oct. 1, state and federal labs have confirmed 500 people in 42 states and the District of Columbia with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. There are a total of seven laboratory-confirmed cases in New Jersey. Confirmed cases in NJ as of October 1, 2014 include residents from Sussex, Essex, Passaic, Morris, Camden and Burlington counties.
How do you know that you have EV-D68?
EV-D68 can only be diagnosed by doing specific lab tests on specimens from a person’s nose and throat. Many hospitals and some doctor’s offices can test ill patients to see if they have enterovirus infection. However, most cannot do specific testing to determine the type of enterovirus, like EV-D68. Some state health departments and CDC can do this sort of testing.
When are people mostly likely to get infected?
In the United States, people are more likely to get infected with enteroviruses in the summer and fall. We’re currently in middle of the enterovirus season, and EV-D68 infections are likely to decline later in the fall.
How long can EV live on surfaces?
EV can survive on surfaces long enough to allow the virus to spread to others. Frequent cleaning of commonly touched surfaces such as tables, chairs, countertops, doorknobs, toys and computer keyboards can help limit the spread of EV to others.
What is the best way to clean surfaces?
The best way to clean surfaces is to use a bleach-based household cleaner as directed on the product label. If no such cleaning product is available, you can use a solution made with 5 tablespoons to 1.5 cups of household bleach per 1 gallon of water. If you are unable to use bleach, look for cleaning products that list “Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride” as an active ingredient on the label and says that the product kills norovirus and rhinovirus. This includes products such as Lysol All-purpose cleaner, Pine-Sol All-purpose cleaner and Clorox disinfecting spray/wipes. Follow instructions on the label. Enteroviruses are resistant to alcohol disinfection.
Read More:
NJ.Gov Enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68) Frequently Asked Questions
For up-to-date listing of states with confirmed EV-D68 cases