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| A child is examined for symptoms of Enterovirus D68, a serious respiratory affliction. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) |
elaine.thompson@telegram.com
A severe respiratory virus that's sweeping the country and sending scores of children to hospitals hasn't reached Massachusetts, but it will, according to local health experts.
Twelve states, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast, have reported clusters of Enterovirus D68, also known as EV-D68. The virus, first detected in 1962, is thought to be of the same strain as the common cold, with similar symptoms, but EV-D68 can quickly escalate, especially in young people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Anne Roach, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said the DPH has queried pediatric providers and found there is no uptick in respiratory illnesses. Doctors, she said, have been asked to contact the DPH should they see one.
"We haven't seen it in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, I'm sure we will," said Dr. Michael Hirsh, acting commissioner of public health for the Worcester-based Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance. "People not knowingly have contracted it, will be carriers of it and will get on a plane and head east and we'll end up seeing it."
EV-D68 is one of more than 100 non-polio enteroviruses. This particular virus was first detected in California in 1962 and has been rarely reported since. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the way the virus is spread is not fully understood because it hasn't been studied much, but it can be found in respiratory secretions, including saliva and nasal mucus. It is thought to spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes or touches contaminated surfaces.
"It's a lot harder to contain viruses that spread through the air. That's why the flu and H1N1 and all those infections are much more likely to have a wider swath as they move through the population," said Dr. Hirsh.
Most people who get the virus probably won't get very sick. Patients who already have hyperactive airways, particularly children with pre-existing respiratory conditions including asthma, seem to be the population the virus is particularly prone to attack.
"It seems like whatever issues the kids get in their tinnier airways, adults don't get quite as much mucus plugging things that can lead to air passage blockage and therefore not affected by it," Dr. Hirsh said.
There have been no deaths reported, but a cluster of children in the Midwest have had to be treated in intensive care units. There are no vaccines for preventing the virus and no specific treatment.
The best prevention is the same as with the cold or flu, including washing hands for 20 seconds, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and avoiding contact with people who are sick.
Dr. Hirsh said parents of children who may have symptoms should err on the side of caution and keep them out of school and away from other children. He said the incubation period is three to seven days.
"They're infected during that time, but may not be symptomatic yet. That's the tricky part," he said. "Once they become symptomatic, they've probably exposed other family members and friends to it."
Dr. Christina Hermos, assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center in Worcester, said the hospital is prepared for any influx of cases of the virus. She said only 15 percent of people who have been infected have required to be in an intensive care unit. Unlike with the flu, the minority of patients, about 26 percent, have fever, she said.
Testing for the virus is not readily available. The CDC is working with state and local health departments to help them detect the virus. Dr. Hermos said it's possible that people get the virus every year, but they're not sick enough to require high-level testing to be done. What's different this year is that the CDC has tested samples from the large number of patients in the Midwest who have exhibited the same symptoms.
Parents of children with asthma and other respiratory conditions should keep their children away from people who are sick, optimize their hand hygiene and make sure they have their respiratory medications with them at all times, she advised.
"We need to brace ourselves. But for the vast majority of kids this isn't going to be a life-threatening situation," she said.
Contact Elaine Thompson at elaine.thompson@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter@EThompsonTG
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