Immediate care needed: The outbreak of rare respiratory illness in children

Image Source: cnn.com

As the school year begins, hospitals are seeing a dramatic increase in pediatric admissions as children across the country are falling ill due to an as-yet unnamed respiratory illness. The illness appears to target the very young and children with asthma, and has symptoms similar to those of the common flu, only more severe.

Image Source: cnn.com

Experts suspect enterovirus D68, or EV-D68. Less than 100 cases of EV-D68 have been reported in the United States since it was first identified in the 1960s. However, while the virus is uncommon, it is usually not fatal. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, muscle pain, fever, and a runny nose.

In Missouri, more than 400 children were treated At Children’s Mercy Hospital for respiratory illnesses, with 68 admitted into intensive care. Other areas are seeing an uptick in pediatric admissions for respiratory illnesses as well: a hospital in Illinois banned visitors under 12 years of age in an attempt to contain an outbreak, while in Denver, the Children’s Hospital Colorado has so far treated more than 900 children for respiratory symptoms since the second week of August. A hospital in East Columbus, Ohio, has also reported a 20 percent increase in respiratory illness cases since the start of September. No deaths have been reported so far.

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According to CNN, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that at least 19 of the Kansas City children tested were found positive for EV-D68. The virus is still unconfirmed in other states. However, clusters of respiratory illness with similar symptoms have been reported in 10 states so far: Missouri, Georgia, Kansas, North Carolina, Illinois, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio, Iowa, and Colorado. The affected states have asked the CDC for help in identifying the virus.

There is no vaccine for EV-D68. Most cases are mild and easily treated; however, children with asthma could have worse symptoms. To prevent further spread of EV-D68, health officials suggest washing hands frequently, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and refraining from sharing cups and utensils.

Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon specialized in respiratory illness and critical care. Subscribe to this blog for more health news and articles.