Mysterious virus infects children in 10 states

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A respiratory illness that has already sickened more than a thousand children in 10 states is likely to become a nationwide problem, doctors say.

The disease hasn't been officially identified but officials suspect a rare respiratory virus called human enterovirus 68. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is related to the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/unidentified-respiratory-virus-hit-kids-country/story?id=25334106
 
I'm a peds critical care nurse, and we've had a very strange late summer. LOTS of really nasty respiratory stuff. Several kids ended up on the ventilator. This flu seasons's going to be a doozy methinks!
 
What is Enterovirus EV-D68, the disease causing alarm in the Midwest?

What are enteroviruses?

Enteroviruses, which bring on symptoms like a very intense cold, aren't unusual. They're actually very common.

When you have a bad summer cold, often what you have is an enterovirus, said Mark Pallansch, a virologist and director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Viral Diseases.

There are more than 100 types of enteroviruses causing about 10 to 15 million infections in the United States each year, according to the CDC. They are carried in the intestinal tract and often spread to other parts of the body.

The season often hits its peak in September, as summer ends and fall begins.

more at link .............. http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/08/health/enterovirus-ev-d68-explainer/



Virus hitting Midwest could be 'tip of iceberg,' CDC official says

The virus has sent more than 30 children a day to a Kansas City, Missouri, hospital, where about 15% of the youngsters were placed in intensive care, officials said.

In Kansas City, about 475 children were recently treated at Children's Mercy Hospital, and at least 60 of them received intensive hospitalization, spokesman Jake Jacobson said.

"It's worse in terms of scope of critically ill children who require intensive care. I would call it unprecedented. I've practiced for 30 years in pediatrics, and I've never seen anything quite like this," said Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, the hospital's division director for infectious diseases.

"We've had to mobilize other providers, doctors, nurses. It's big," she said.

The Kansas City hospital treats 90% of that area's ill children. Staff members noticed an initial spike on August 15, Jackson said.

"It could have taken off right after school started. Our students start back around August 17, and I think it blew up at that point," Jackson said. "Our peak appears to be between the 21st and the 30th of August. We've seen some leveling of cases at this point."

read more ............... http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/07/health/respiratory-virus-midwest/index.html
 
This newer virus is not to be mistaken, I guess, with the previous unknown virus affecting some children in California. Below is a report from February, '14

Paralyzing "polio-like virus" suspected in up to 25 California children

A polio-like syndrome has caused partial paralysis in five California children since August 2012, putting researchers and public health officials on high alert as up to 25 cases are being investigated.

"These five new cases highlight the possibility of an emerging infectious polio-like syndrome in California," Dr. Keith Van Haren, an instructor in neurology and neurological sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., said in a written statement Sunday.

read more ......... http://www.cbsnews.com/news/polio-like-virus-suspected-in-up-to-25-california-children/
 
Wow....this is really frightening! :( I think I'll be hyper-vigilant with any symptoms my kids have this year!
 
Hospital sets patient record as virus spreads

Medical officials admitted a record number of children to a local hospital over the weekend because of what they believe to be a rare respiratory virus spreading throughout the country.

Although there's been no confirmed cases of the enterovirus at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, officials admitted 540 patients Friday, said Dr. Derek Wheeler, associate chief of staff at the hospital.

read more ..... http://www.cincinnati.com/story/new...-local-hospital-sets-patient-record/15312365/
 
Uh oh. Now it's in 12 states.


Virus hitting the U.S. could be 'tip of iceberg,' CDC official says

Twelve states have contacted the CDC for assistance in investigating clusters of enterovirus: Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Utah. Four -- Colorado, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa -- have confirmed cases of Enterovirus D68, also known as EV-D68.

read more ............ http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/07/health/respiratory-virus-midwest/index.html
 
This is not good. With kids just getting back to school, and it isn't even flu season yet. Time to stock up on the hand sanitizer and Lysol.
 
This newer virus is not to be mistaken, I guess, with the previous unknown virus affecting some children in California. Below is a report from February, '14

Paralyzing "polio-like virus" suspected in up to 25 California children

A polio-like syndrome has caused partial paralysis in five California children since August 2012, putting researchers and public health officials on high alert as up to 25 cases are being investigated.

"These five new cases highlight the possibility of an emerging infectious polio-like syndrome in California," Dr. Keith Van Haren, an instructor in neurology and neurological sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif., said in a written statement Sunday.

read more ......... http://www.cbsnews.com/news/polio-like-virus-suspected-in-up-to-25-california-children/
But it IS the same virus. This article states that (BBM):
"The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that two of the five children tested positive for enterovirus-68, a new strain of a virus that strikes millions of people worldwide annually."

http://www.ibtimes.com/has-new-strain-enterovirus-emerged-california-giving-children-symptoms-similar-polio-1557462

So why are they saying this is some mystery virus? In fact, it has actually been around since 1962. (And can anybody tell me how we get a NEW strain of virus that strikes millions annually? Seriously?)
 
It's important to remember, despite the hysteria stoking of the media, that for the VAST majority of people, this virus is going to present itself as a typical cold. It's frustrating as a nurse because people are panicking over very typical cold symptoms and are clogging clinic schedules. I understand why, because if you listen to the media, you'd think the plague has descended on the country. I wish they would spend more time explaining signs of respiratory distress and emphasizing that the people who are having actual difficulty breathing (from the airway, NOT through the nose) are the ones for whom this virus is a problem.
 
This is true, not everyone will get deathly ill.
My daughter has Down syndrome, so she has smaller airways.
(She is also considered immunocompromised because she has an unusually low WBC.)
When she gets a GI illness she does great.
Respiratory illnesses tend to hit her harder and cause more issues.

We were in Kansas City the end of August and beginning of September.
We were in close contact with a couple of kids who were later confirmed to have EV-D68.
After we returned home my kids began to show some symptoms.
They ALWAYS get something at the end of summer so I wasn't alarmed.
Then I was informed that our friends had EV-D68.

So I called our Pediatrician and let them know of the possibility.
I have all the medical equipment at home to monitor them appropriately, so we managed at home.
There was a couple nights that got a bit iffy with my daughter with Down syndrome.

However, even she was able to fight this off without hospitalization.
Her chart says "likely EV-D68" because we chose not to take her in for the test to be certain.
She is almost completely better now, just a bit of lingering mucous and cough. :twocents:
 
MsF, whew! What a scare! I am so glad your kids are feeling better!
 
It's important to remember, despite the hysteria stoking of the media, that for the VAST majority of people, this virus is going to present itself as a typical cold. It's frustrating as a nurse because people are panicking over very typical cold symptoms and are clogging clinic schedules. I understand why, because if you listen to the media, you'd think the plague has descended on the country. I wish they would spend more time explaining signs of respiratory distress and emphasizing that the people who are having actual difficulty breathing (from the airway, NOT through the nose) are the ones for whom this virus is a problem.

I do wonder if this has anything to do with the absolute worst cold a bunch of us adults in town have ever had... 2 weeks of pure yuck.
 
CDC: Severe respiratory illness now in 22 states, including Michigan

Michigan among 22 states with cases of unusual respiratory illness in children


Published On: Sep 19 2014 04:58:10 PM EDT Updated On: Sep 19 2014 05:40:02 PM EDT

NEW YORK -
Health officials say 22 states now have confirmed cases of an unusual respiratory illness in children.

An uncommon virus -- enterovirus 68 -- is causing the illnesses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said Friday that 160 lab-confirmed cases were reported in the 22 states. On Tuesday, the CDC's count was 130 cases in 12 states.

The newest states are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/lifes...respiratory-illness-now-in-22-states/28156358
 
How do we know if a family member just has a bad cold or EV 68 ? Does it matter ?
 

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