What You Need to Know About Enterovirus D68

Thursday, September 11, 2014

kirsten Nicolaisen, GoLocalPDX Digital Producer

Photo Credit: mcfarlandmo via Compfight cc

Enterovirus D68 is affecting children in several Midwest and Southeast states, as well as Colorado, according to Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon. The virus can cause mild to severe respiratory illness and most commonly affects infants, children, and teenagers.

Mild symptoms of the D68 entrovirus include fever, sneezing, coughs, and body and muscle aches. Severe symptoms include difficulty breathing and wheezing.

Regence Oregon medical director, Dr. Csaba Mera, put together a list of three things people can do to keep well and protect themselves from the virus.

Dr. Mera advises people to

1. Wash hands often with soap and water, especially for people who are changing diapers.

2. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and to avoid hugging, kissing, and sharing cups or utensils with people who are sick.

3. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs.

Most people in the United States who get an enterovirus get it during the summer or fall, according to Mera.

She advises anyone who is sick or having breathing problems to seek immediate medical care.

Mera says people with asthma may have a higher risk for severe illness.