Enterovirus D68 is spreading like wildfire through the Southwest in the USA, and will likely reach Canada in a few weeks. The virus has been seen in kids from ages 4 months to 16 years, with most around 4 years of age. It affects the respiratory system, with a lot of kids acting as if they have asthma. Of course this means large quantities of the virus are spread as the victim struggles to breathe. The virus does not aerosolize (it does not stay in the air), so transmission is normally through contact with droplets that have been coughed out, and reach another child. Or they may land on a surface that another child then touches before touching their own mouth, etc. The virus does not follow the classic pattern of fever, cough, and runny nose; only 25% or so of kids have a fever. The majority have a cough and trouble breathing. Those who are weak or already have difficulty breathing may need medical assistance, such as oxygen, to cope. Because this is a new virus, no one has built up any immunity to it, so I expect this to spread very quickly, especially because the outbreak coincides with the start of the new school year. There is no vaccine and no anti-viral treatment. While a number of kids will need to be hospitalized, treatment consists mostly of support, making sure the child is hydrated, breathing, and not infecting others. You should bring your child to the hospital if he or she has wheezing, labored breathing or rapid breathing (more than one breath per second for an extended period of time, like 1 hour). I have not heard reports of any fatalities, but I expect there may eventually be cases with children that had other, more serious, underlying illnesses. The CDC (USA) says the virus can be found in saliva, nasal mucus, or sputum. Measures to prevent transmission include washing hands and surfaces (like doorknobs) with anti-microbial agents. Children should be taught to use a tissue or otherwise cover their mouth when coughing. Of course infected children are contagious and should not be sent to school or daycare, where they may spread the virus. What can you do? Monitor your children, teach them measures like hand washing and not coughing on others, and when in doubt use sanitary wipes or other measures to clean any area or object that could infect your child. An ear-loop mask may help stop your child from infecting others, if they have the virus, but because children often have difficulty breathing, I expect most parents would be reluctant to force their child to wear one. An N95 mask will not be of any great use in preventing your child from catching D68, because the virus is not transmitted through the air. Hospitals will of course take measures to isolate children brought in with this virus. webmd/cold-and-flu/news/20140909/enterovirus-d68-parents
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 15:27:09 +0000
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