Could Enterovirus Strain Cause Polio-Like Symptoms?
Could Enterovirus Strain Cause Polio-Like Symptoms? Health officials are trying to determine whether enterovirus D68, also known as EVD68, is causing the polio-like symptoms some patients experience.
The Enterovirus D-68, also known as EVD-68, is a respiratory virus that’s been hospitalizing children across the nation. In the past three weeks, EVD-68 has spread from 12 state to 42, with more recent deaths linked to the virus. Though according to Health Day, “it’s not clear what role – if any – the virus played in those deaths.” It reports that health officials are trying to figure out if the virus is connected to muscless weakness and paralysis.
CBS reports that some children who have EVD-68 are also showing polio-like symptoms. There have been 10 reported cases of children with these symptoms in Colorado and health officials in California reported a similar case on Wednesday.
An infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University told WebMD, “This could be just coincidental, so we can’t leap to the conclusion that enterovirus D68 is the cause of this paralysis. … It’s right at the top of our list of suspects, but we haven’t nailed it yet.”
The unknown is leaving health officials and families confusing and difficult situations. According to the New York Times, as of Wednesday, there were 472 confirmed cases of the infection. The virus hit early in Kansas City but one of the doctors from that area thinks that cases might have plateaued and they likely won’t see anymore before the end of the month. That would, of course, be welcome news, but CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta points out this disease is unlike many common illnesses, like the flu which kills nearly some 30, 000 people in the country every year. There are currently no preventive vaccines for this illness, but there are steps you can take to improve your chances of staying healthy – wash your hands. Other tips include keeping your distance from people who are sick and cleaning the surfaces that are touched often.
Children are more susceptible to the virus but if you’re an adult having breathing problems or other symptoms that are common with the virus, you shouldn’t take any chances and should get checked out by a doctor.
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