The U.S Centre for Disease Control (CDC) recently reported multiple cases of human parechovirus infections across the country. Parechoviruses (PeV) commonly infect newborns and young children, causing respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. In severe cases which are commonly seen in babies below 6 months of age, seizures, meningitis, and sepsis-like symptoms can also be observed. Authorities have advised doctors to include parechovirus infection in their differential when treating infants presenting with fever, neurological symptoms, or sepsis-like illness.
Infants with slightly older siblings are shown to be at a greater risk of infection. What can be done to minimize the spread of parechoviral infections? ##References ## CDC Nielsen NM, Midgley SE, Nielsen AC, Christiansen CB, Fischer TK. Severe human parechovirus infections in infants and the role of older siblings.…
