Enterovirus infection: symptoms of infection

To enterovirus infections include a number of diseases that are caused by a group of non-poliomyelitis viruses. They arise mainly in the summer-autumn period, children from 2 to 10 years are most often affected. It is worth noting that the transmission of viruses is possible both through contact, and through water, food or public objects. Pathogens can remain viable for a long time in the environment, they tolerate low temperatures and unfavorable conditions (neither 70% alcohol nor acidic gastric juice affect them in any way).

At the end of the incubation period, enterovirus infection, a symptom of which has not yet manifested itself, becomes especially dangerous. It is for this period and for the first days of illness that the peak of infection occurs. The onset of the disease is characterized by a significant increase in temperature, while it can last up to 5 days, after which it can subside. Its next rise takes place after a couple of days, the second time it lasts no more than two days. Such a jump in temperature is characterized by an enterovirus infection, a symptom that is typical for all types of viruses that cause it. But its other manifestations can vary significantly.

The disease can develop with the ingestion of non- poliomyelitis Coxsackie viruses of groups A and B, ECHO and a number of other unclassified types. Another feature of this disease is the variety of its manifestations: it can be angina, conjunctivitis, intestinal problems, meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis, a rash on the body - it's hard to believe, but all of the listed diseases cause enterovirus infection. Symptoms of it, however, may not appear. After all, 45% of infected people do not even know that they are sick. Most often, its asymptomatic course occurs in children up to 6 months old, in which the mother's antibodies are still working in the body, and in convalescent patients, in whose organism the virus has reoccurred.

Diagnosis of enterovirus infection is possible only with the help of special tests from the affected areas (this can be a nose, yawn or rectum). The study takes several days, so the diagnosis is set based on the symptoms, and the analysis only helps to confirm it.

Due to the wide variety of manifestations of the disease, there are no uniform methods of its treatment. First of all, it is necessary to isolate the patient, who is supposedly an enterovirus infection, the drugs are prescribed depending on the manifesting symptoms. With angina, conjunctivitis or diarrhea, additional antibacterial therapy is possible.

Despite the fact that as a result of the disease immunity is developed, repeated infection is likely. This becomes possible due to the fact that the infection is caused by different types of the virus. It is because of this that the development of the vaccine is complicated.

In addition, even within the same team, enterovirus infection can manifest itself in different ways. A symptom of the disease, common to all types, is high fever. All other clinical manifestations can not be combined. Because of the same type of virus, there may be intestinal infection, and angina, and hepatitis, and conjunctivitis.