What are Enteroviruses?

About Enteroviruses:

• Enteroviruses are a group of viruses that can cause various infectious illnesses and are responsible for annual epidemics.
• There are many kinds of enteroviruses, including coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, polioviruses, and the hepatitis A virus.
• All enteroviruses are antigenically heterogeneous and have wide geographic distribution.
• They can infect anyone, but are more likely to cause illnesses in people with weak immune systems, as well as infants, children, and teens who don't have immunity against a virus yet because it’s their first exposure to it.
• Illness is usually mild but has been found to affect neonates differently and sometimes more severely than older children and adults.
• Transmission: There are multiple transmission routes, particularly in the neonatal period, including intrapartum by exposure to maternal blood, secretions, and/or stool, or postnatally from close contacts with infected caregivers.
• Symptoms:
  • Most people with an enterovirus infection don't get sick.
  • For those who do, symptoms depend on the type of enterovirus and which part of the body it affects.
  • Most often a child will simply have a fever or mild cold symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, coughing, or muscle aches.
• Treatment:
  • There is no specific treatment for enterovirus infection.
  • The focus is on easing symptoms until the infection has run its course, which usually takes only a few days.