Enterovirus D-68 Found in East Texas

AUSTIN — The first case of Enterovirus D-68 has been reported in East Texas. The Texas Department of Health reports out of the 34 patient samples tested in North Texas nine came back positive, one of those being a 9 year old child from Anderson County. KETK reports the nine cases were among Texas residents treated at Dallas hospitals for respiratory illnesses between late July and early September.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or state public health laboratories have confirmed a total of 277 people in 40 states and the District of Columbia with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68 from mid-August through September 26th. According to the CDC, many state health departments have reported increases this year in cases of severe respiratory illness in children. This increase could be caused by many different viruses that are common during this time of year. EV-D68 appears to be the predominant type of enterovirus this year and may be contributing to the increases in severe respiratory illnesses.

All the confirmed cases this year of EV-D68 infection have been among children, except for one adult. Many of the children had asthma or a history of wheezing. So far, no deaths attributed to EV-D68 infection have been documented. According to the CDC, There are likely many children affected with milder forms of illness. Of the specimens tested by the CDC lab, about half have tested positive for EV-D68. About one third have tested positive for an enterovirus or rhinovirus other than EV-D68.

EV-D68 infections usually manifest as mild, self-limited, common cold symptoms, without fever. However, severe respiratory symptoms have occurred, mostly in children with underlying diagnoses of asthma or wheezing. Clinicians should be aware of EV-D68 as a possible cause of acute, unexplained severe respiratory illness, particularly in children.