Enterovirus D68 Confirmed in Spokane County

SPOKANE — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the presence of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in Spokane County. The CDC testing confirmed that two children hospitalized in September had respiratory illness associated with EV-D68. The children were between the ages of 0 and 10 years old and both were discharged.

“We are not surprised to find that EV-D68 caused some illnesses in Spokane given the widespread nature of this virus in other parts of the country,” Spokane Regional Health District (SHRD, health officer Dr. Joel McCullough said in a news release.

Over the last several months, the United States experienced a nationwide outbreak of EV-D68 associated with severe respiratory illness. From mid-August to October 24, 2014, CDC, along with some state public health laboratories, confirmed a total of 998 people in 47 states and the District of Columbia with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68.

In late September and early October, Spokane saw an increase in hospitalizations for respiratory illness—at its peak, 32 individuals, with an average age of 4.5 years old, had been hospitalized. Further enterovirus testing by CDC was requested for 24 of those. Several negative test results were returned by CDC in the days prior to the two positive confirmations. It is possible that more results — both positive and negative — will be confirmed in the coming days.

Enterovirus infections generally do not pose a great risk to the community. Most individuals who catch an enterovirus may experience symptoms similar to the common cold including sneezing, a runny nose and a cough. With EV-D68, some people may have difficulty breathing and/or develop a rash. This strain of virus is sometimes accompanied by a fever or wheezing. EV-D68 can rarely cause neurologic illness.

Children with asthma or a history of breathing problems are particularly susceptible to severe symptoms. Parents should seek medical attention immediately for children who are having any breathing difficulty (wheezing, difficulty speaking or eating, belly pulling in with breaths, blueness around the lips).

For mild respiratory illness, parents can help relieve symptoms by giving over-the-counter medications for pain and fever

Although influenza virus was not detected in these children, flu season is just around the corner and influenza is the only viral cause of severe respiratory infections that is preventable through vaccination. Influenza is a cause of widespread respiratory infections each year, and is especially serious in children and adults with underlying asthma and other lung diseases and chronic medical conditions.