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Published Date: 2019-09-13 16:08:30
Subject: PRO/EDR> Human enterovirus - Taiwan
Archive Number: 20190913.6671982
HUMAN ENTEROVIRUS - TAIWAN
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Date: Tue 10 Sept 2019
Source: Focus Taiwan [edited]
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201909100012.aspx


Taiwan's enterovirus cases continued to increase last week, bringing the total number to nearly 20 000 between [1 and 7 Sep 2019], the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Tuesday [10 Sep 2019].

A total of 19 254 patients sought outpatient or emergency treatment at hospitals for enterovirus infection around the country, up 4% from the figure recorded the previous week [25-31 Aug 2019] and the highest over the same period in nearly 5 years, according to CDC data.

CDC physician Lin Yung-ching said there were 2 severe cases recorded last week, one of which involved an 8-month-old girl and the other a 4-year-old boy, both in central Taiwan. The 2 children were reported in stable condition after treatment.

Some of the 2 patients' family members or classmates with whom they had had contact have also been confirmed as enterovirus cases, and the CDC judged that the infection might have been spread through contact, Lin said.

A total of 303 cases of enterovirus-71 (EV-71), the most severe enterovirus strain, have been reported so far this year [2019], the highest in the same period from 2016 to 2018.

Meanwhile, a total of 36 cases with severe complications have been recorded nationwide, including 27 EV-71 cases, according to CDC statistics.

EV-71 is a neurological disease that attacks the nervous system, and infants under the age of 5 are at highest risk of developing severe complications from this type of infection.

In extreme cases, EV-71 can cause polio-like permanent paralysis, according to the CDC. As Taiwan is still in the peak season for enterovirus infection, CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo urged the public to take precautions against the spread of the illness, especially among children.

Children infected with enterovirus should be kept away from school so as to prevent the spread of the disease, as enterovirus is highly contagious, Lo advised.

[Byline: Chen Wei-ting and Evelyn Kao]

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The enteroviruses are spread from person to person by coughs, sneezes, or touching objects or surfaces that have the virus on them. Therefore, practicing good personal hygiene -- washing hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water -- is the best way to prevent from getting and spreading the infectious disease.

However, most people infected with non-polio enteroviruses do not get sick, or present with mild illness, like the common cold. Infants, children, and teenagers are more likely than adults to get infected and become sick because they do not yet have immunity (protection) from previous exposures to the viruses. Adults can get infected too, but they are less likely to have symptoms, or their symptoms may be milder. Symptoms of mild illness may include fever; runny nose, sneezing, and cough; skin rash; mouth blisters; and body and muscle aches.

Some non-polio enterovirus infections can lead to:
- Viral conjunctivitis;
- Hand-foot-mouth disease;
- Viral meningitis (infection of the covering of the spinal cord and/or brain);
- Viral encephalitis (infection of the brain);
- Myocarditis (infection of the heart);
- Pericarditis (infection of the sac around the heart);
- Acute flaccid paralysis (a sudden onset of weakness in one or more arms or legs);
- Inflammatory muscle disease (slow, progressive muscle weakness).

Infants and people with weakened immune systems have a greater chance of having these complications. People who develop myocarditis may have heart failure and require long-term care. Some people who develop encephalitis or paralysis may not fully recover.

Enterovirus cases were reported from Taipei, Taiwan in 2017 (Human enterovirus - Taiwan: alert 20170418.4978387), and health alerts like the one mentioned in report above were issued to the general public to observe proper hygiene to reduce disease transmission. Also the case number for EV-71 associated severe disease has also increased, which is a cause for public health concern. - Mod.UBA

HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Taiwan: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/193]

See Also

2018
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Human enterovirus: Taiwan 20180524.5816893
Human enterovirus 71 - Taiwan: China vaccine comment 20180503.5781574
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (03): China 20180430.5774368
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (02): Caribbean (Cayman Islands) 20180221.5641051
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (01): Japan, research 20180130.5594550
2017
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Hand, foot & mouth disease update (10): Caribbean, WHO (Western Pacific), USA (midwest) 20171103.5423054
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (09): comment 20170906.5299733
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (08): Thailand (BT) 20170904.5294390
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (07) - Mexico 20170704.5150139
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (06): Thailand 20170701.5144249
Hand, foot, & mouth disease update (05): Thailand (SK) 20170623.5125187
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (04): Australia (VI) 20170520.5050110
Hand, foot & mouth disease update (03): Pakistan (PB), comment 20170316.4905767
Human enterovirus - Taiwan: alert 20170418.4978387
2016
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Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (03): (HK): 20161007.4543101
Human enterovirus: Taiwan, Canada (ON) 20160922.4508083
Human enterovirus D68 - Taiwan, Canada: acute flaccid paralysis 20160902.4461647
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China (02): (HK) 20160522.4237221
Human enterovirus - Taiwan, update 20160518.4230370
Hand, foot & mouth disease - China: (BJ, GX) vaccine 20160329.4124126
2015
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Human enterovirus 71 - Europe: transmission patterns 2003-2013 20150828.3608572
.................................................sb/uba/rd/dk

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