A Not-So-Common Cold
An unusual cold-like illness is hitting kids in a growing number of states across the U.S.
BY CODY CRANE
Hundreds of kids in the U.S. have been coming down with a nasty cold-like illness. The disease is caused by a type of enterovirus (en-tuh-roh-VIE-ruhs) called EV-D68. The current outbreak, or unexpected surge of the disease, first started in August in the Midwest. It is now believed to have spread to 21 states.
The outbreak has resulted in hundreds of emergency room visits for sick children who have difficulty breathing. Some of them have ended up staying at the hospital to receive intensive care.
So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed several dozen severe cases of EV-D68 in kids ranging from 16 weeks to 16 years old. All of them also had a history of asthma. No adults have come down with the illness.
The alarming spread of EV-D68 has left health officials scrambling to figure out why it’s hit so many kids so hard.
WHAT IS EV-D68?
EV-D68 is a respiratory virus. A virus is a pathogen (disease causing agent) that invades your body’s cells and reproduces inside them. This one specifically affects the respiratory system, or lungs.
The EV-D68 infection is similar to the common cold. It begins with symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and sometimes fever. But in some cases, it can lead to wheezing and breathing trouble.
EV-D68 was first identified in the 1960s. But until the current outbreak, fewer than 100 cases had been reported. Doctors still aren’t sure why so many instances of the illness have suddenly appeared in the last few weeks.
STAYING HEALTHY
What can you do to avoid getting sick? Be aware that the illness is a communicable disease. It spreads through person-to-person contact. Avoid shaking hands, kissing, hugging, and sharing food or drinks with people who may be sick. Also, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Although EV-D68 is serious, it isn’t known to be deadly. All the kids suffering from it are expected to recover. “Some of them have a more severe illness, such as these children who have developed asthma and are hospitalized. But they should all get better,” Dr. William Schaffner, head of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, told the news organization CNN.