Coxsackievirus infections
Coxsackie viruses are part of the enterovirus family of viruses (which also includes polioviruses and hepatitis A virus)
that live in the human digestive tract. You can from person to person, usually on unwashed hands and surfaces spread
contaminated feces, where they can live for several days.
Occur in cooler climates, outbreaks of coxsackievirus infections most common in summer and autumn, when they cause
Infections year-round in tropical parts of the world.
In most cases, coxsackieviruses cause mild flu-like symptoms and go away without treatment. But in some cases, they may
lead to serious infections.
Signs and symptoms
Coxsackievirus can produce a wide variety of symptoms. About half of all children have been infected with coxsackievirus no
Symptoms. Others suddenly develop high fever, headache, and muscle aches, and some also develop a sore throat, abdominal pain
Discomfort, or nausea. A child with a coxsackievirus infection may simply feel hot but no other symptoms. In most
Children, the fever lasts about 3 days, then disappears.
Coxsackie viruses may also cause various symptoms that affect different body parts, including:
Hand, foot and mouth disease, a type of coxsackievirus syndrome, causes painful red blisters in the throat and on the
Tongue, gums, hard palate, inside the cheeks, and the palms of hands and soles of the feet.
Herpangina, an infection of the throat, the red-ringed blisters and ulcers causes on the tonsils and soft palate, the
fleshy rear part of the roof of the mouth.
Hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, an infection that affects the whites of the eyes themselves. Hemorrhagic conjunctivitis usually starts
as eye pain, quickly followed by red, watery eyes with swelling, light sensitivity, and blurred vision.
Coxsackie viruses may occasionally cause more serious infections that can be treated in a hospital need, including:
viral meningitis, an infection of the meninges (the three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord)
Encephalitis, a brain infection
Myocarditis, an infection of the heart muscle
Newborns can be infected by their mothers during or shortly after birth and are at higher risk of developing serious
Infection, including myocarditis, hepatitis, and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain and meninges). In
Newborn may develop symptoms within 2 weeks after birth.
Contagiousness
Coxsackie viruses are highly contagious. They can be passed from person to person on unwashed hands and surfaces
contaminated by feces. They can also be spread through droplets of fluid sprayed into the air when someone sneezes or
Cough.
If an outbreak affects a community, risk for coxsackievirus infection is highest among infants and kids younger than 5
The virus spreads easily in group settings such as schools, day care centers and summer camps. People who are infected
With a coxsackievirus are most contagious during the first week, they are sick.
Prevention
There is no vaccine to prevent coxsackievirus infection. Hand washing is the best protection. Remind everyone in your
Family to wash their hands frequently, especially after using the toilet (especially those in public places), after
Changing a diaper, before meals and before preparing food. Shared toys in childcare centers should be routinely cleaned
with a disinfectant because the virus can live on these objects for days.
Children who are sick with a coxsackievirus infection should be kept home from school or childcare for a few days to avoid
Spread of infection.
The duration of the infection is very different. For fever without other symptoms, a child, the temperature returns to normal
within 24 hours, although the average fever lasts 3 to 4 days. Hand, foot and mouth disease usually lasts 2 or 3
Days, viral meningitis can take 3 to 7 days to clear up.
Treating infections Coxsackievirus
Depending on the type of infection and symptoms, the doctor may prescribe medication to your child feel more
comfortable. However, because antibiotics only work against bacteria, they can not be used to fight a coxsackievirus
Infection.
Paracetamol can be given to relieve any minor aches and pains. If the fever lasts for more than 24 hours or if your
Child has any symptoms of a more serious coxsackievirus infection, call your doctor.
Most children with a simple coxsackievirus infection recover completely after a few days without any treatment. A
Child who has a fever without any other symptoms should rest or play quietly indoors in bed. Offer plenty of fluids to
To prevent dehydration.
When to call the doctor
Call the doctor immediately if your child develops any of the following symptoms:
Fever above 100.4 ° F (38 ° C) for infants under 6 months and more than 102 ° F (38.8 ° C) for older children
poor appetite
Feeding problems
Throw up
Failure
Difficulty breathing
Convulsions
unusual sleepiness
Pain in the chest or abdomen
Sores on the skin or in the mouth
severe sore throat
severe headache, especially with vomiting, confusion, or unusual sleepiness
Neck stiffness
red, swollen and watery eyes
Pain in one or both testicles