Enterovirus infection

Causes and symptoms of enterovirus infection

---

What is enterovirus infection?

Generalized enterovirus infection is a group of acute infectious diseases caused by enteroviruses (intestinal viruses). For this type of infection characterized by fever and a wide range of clinical symptoms, due to the fact that enteroviruses are striking in almost all organ systems: Central nervous and cardiovascular systems, gastrointestinal tract, muscle, liver, kidney, lungs and so on.

Enterovirus infection is prevalent worldwide, but recent outbreaks are becoming more frequent (enteroviral meningitis Coxsackie virus, echo virus, etc.) Usually the virus can remain in the intestine for not more than five months, but for a healthy virusological possible the emergence of mass forms of the disease (children and adults).

Causes of enteroviral infections

Enteroviruses are highly resistant to external factors and is able to survive in the environment in water, soil and food products. But the multiplication and accumulation of the virus always takes place within the human body. Enteroviruses are transmitted by airborne droplets and fecal-oral route. There is also a congenital form of the disease when the mother of a child the infection is in a persistent form.

Enteroviruses fall on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and esophagus, which multiply. After increasing their amount of inflammation: herpes angina, pharyngitis, acute respiratory infections or diarrhea. When the virus spreads throughout the body, settling on different tissues and organs, begin a new inflammatory response. This explains the diversity of clinical manifestations of enterovirus infection. For example, if the virus enters the Central nervous system, most likely the development of meningitis or meningoencephalitis, and echo viruses are usually deposited on the primary place of exposure.

Symptoms of enterovirus infection

Basically enterovirus infection occurs without overt symptoms and are more or less obvious clinical signs become signs of a cold. But the virus, when applied to various tissues and organs, cancause many diseases – as less dangerous (fever and conjunctivitis, gastroenteritis and herpangina) and very severe (meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis, myocarditis, acute paralysis).

Consider these syndromes and diseases in more detail.

When herpes sore throat on the palate and tongue appear red blisters that are not connected to each other. A few days later they can burst, creating erosion, or disappear without a trace. The cervical and submandibular lymph nodes are slightly increased, you may notice a slight pain when swallowing or excessive saliva. When enteroviruses affect muscles, appears epidemic myalgia. The person feels severe pain in the muscles of the abdominal wall, back, chest, arms and legs. The pain appears in bouts and lasts on average from 1 to 15 minutes.

Meningeal syndrome develops after contact with virus in the Central nervous system. Neurological symptoms in disorders of consciousness, nystagmus, abdominal reflexes are absent.

Most often an enterovirus infection is manifested by fever. High temperature lasts for about four days. Sometimes the person pojulytsja pink rash (exanthema enterovirus).

The intestinal form of enterovirus infection is characterized by severe abdominal pain, diarrhea (stool frequency – up to 10 times a day), exhausting vomiting and flatulence. For respiratory form, the patient is tormented with a dry cough and runny nose. These symptoms may last for one or one and a half weeks. From the cardiovascular manifestations of enterovirus infections are myocarditis and pericarditis.

To diagnose enterovirus infection using the study of blood serum, faeces and cerebrospinal fluid of the patient.

Treatment of enterovirus infections

For the treatment of enterovirus infection using interferons (low molecular weight glycoproteins) that are able to increase the resistance of body cells to the destructive action of the virus; also used immunoglobulin. Because of the wide clinical enteroviral infection has no specific treatment. Therapy depends on symptoms and pathogenesis of the disease.

Currently there are no specific prevention of enterovirus infection, but each can ventilate and disinfect residential and business premises, to comply with the rules of hygiene and human waste disposal.