Enterovirus 68 (patient information)
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Enterovirus 68 |
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Enterovirus 68 On the Web |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2] Alejandro Lemor, M.D. [3]
Overview
Enterovirus 68, or HEV-D68 is a non-polio enterovirus. Non-polio enteroviruses are very common viruses. They cause about 10 to 15 million infections in the United States each year.
What are the Symptoms of Enterovirus 68?
- Most people who are infected with non-polio enteroviruses do not get sick, or they only have mild illness. Symptoms of mild illness may include:
- Some Non-Polio enterovirus infections can cause:
- Viral conjunctivitis
- Hand-foot-and-mouth disease
- Viral meningitis (infection of the covering of the spinal cord and/or brain)
- Less commonly, a person may develop:
- Myocarditis (infection of the heart)
- Pericarditis (infection of the sac around the heart)
- Encephalitis (infection of the brain)
- Paralysis
Who is at Highest Risk?
When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?
Diagnosis
Treatment Options
Where to Find Medical Care for Listeriosis?
What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
- People who develop myocarditis may have heart failure and require long term care. Some people who develop encephalitis or paralysis may not fully recover.
- Newborns infected with non-polio enterovirus may develop sepsis (infection of the blood and other organs). But this is very rare.
- Non-polio enterovirus infections may play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes in children.
Pregnant Women
Most pregnant women will likely be exposed to someone who is infected, especially in the summer and fall. Pregnant women have a greater chance of being infected if they do not have immunity (protection) from previous exposures to non-polio enteroviruses. However, most pregnant women who become infected will not get sick, or they will only have mild illness.
Currently, there is no clear evidence that pregnant women with Non-polio enterovirus infections will have severe complications, like miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital defects. But, if a pregnant woman is infected shortly before delivery, she can pass the virus to her baby. These babies usually have only mild illness. In rare cases, they may have severe infection.