A seldom-seen virus that usually just causes the sniffles is sending hundreds of children to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms across the U.S.
Enterovirus D68, an uncommon member of a very common group of viruses, is believed to be the culprit behind an outbreak of respiratory illness that’s spiking in a dozen states across the US.
Most kids will be over the infection in about a week, experts say. But parents need to be on the lookout for signs that children with what looks like a summer cold are having difficulty breathing. If a child is wheezing or has a cough that won’t go away or shows other signs of difficulty getting enough air, it’s time to get a hospital, experts say.
As of Sept. 11, Ohio has seen cases of the D68 virus and the emergency rooms and urgent care facilities at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are not only at full capacity, but is restricting some visitors. The department has put local providers on alert to be on the lookout for the virus. The Louisville region has seen confirmed cases, and providers in Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati have seen an increase in children with cold-like illnesses since August.
Enteroviruses are a large family of viruses responsible for cold-like illnesses, as well as hand, foot and mouth disease. Many summer colds are caused by enteroviruses, which tend to be more active this time of year.
The D68 virus is rarer and usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms that last about a week. But children hospitalized in the Kansas City region with the virus had severe symptoms, including wheezing and difficulty breathing. Many of the children who had to be hospitalized also had asthma, which puts them at risk for more severe symptoms and complications.
There’s no vaccine to prevent D68, and no specific treatment for infection. The virus is believed to be spread just like other viruses that cause cold and flu-like symptoms: Coughing, sneezing and touching surfaces that have been infected, including countertops, desks and utensils used for food and drinks.
Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent infection:
- Wash hands often, especially after changing diapers. Use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
Since D68 is rarer, it hasn’t been studied as much as other enteroviruses, so doctors don’t know as much about how it usually behaves, and, unlike influenza, mumps or chickenpox, it’s not a disease doctors routinely report to public health officials, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With the current outbreak, doctors are being asked to consider lab-testing children who come in with cold-like symptoms and to report clusters of infections to their local health departments.
