This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
2014 enterovirus D68 outbreak prevalent in children with asthma
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Enterovirus D68 was associated with rampant, severe respiratory illness in children, particularly those with asthma, according to a study presented at the CDC’s Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference in Atlanta.
Although enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) historically has been infrequent and often isolated, increases in severe respiratory illness related to EV-D68 were observed beginning in August 2014. The researchers collected regional syndromic surveillance information from Missouri, Illinois and Colorado between August and September 2014, as well as admissions data from one hospital in each state.
In addition, researchers collected 1,568 respiratory specimens from hospitalized patients nationwide, most of whom tested positive for rhinovirus or enterovirus. Molecular sequencing was used to type the specimens, and the researchers utilized Mantel-Haenszel chi-square tests to compare patients who needed intensive care vs. those who did not.
Syndromic surveillance data suggested increases in respiratory illness compared with that seen the previous 2 years, and that EV-D68 was identified in 45% of the respiratory specimens. Of the hospitalized patients for whom forms were available (n = 484), 92% were aged younger than 18 years.
Reported symptoms included dyspnea (83%), cough (79%), wheezing (68%) and fever (47%). Sixty-four percent of patients required intensive care, and 48% had a history of asthma or reactive airway disease. Among asthma patients, 70% required intensive care, compared with 58% of those without asthma history or reactive airway disease (P = .013).
“A CDC disease detective investigated the largest reported national outbreak of EV-D68 to better understand who was most affected,” researcher Claire M. Midgley, PhD, of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, told Infectious Diseases in Children. “Most of the patients hospitalized with respiratory disease were children, and many had a history of asthma. More than half required intensive care.” – by Jen Byrne
For more information:
Midgley CM, et al. Severe Respiratory Illness Associated with a Nationwide Outbreak of Enterovirus D68 – United States, 2014. Presented at: Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service conference; April 20-23, 2015; Atlanta.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.