Medical News of the Week: Mysterious Respiratory Virus

The recent outbreak of an uncommon respiratory illness has affected nearly a dozen states and over 1,000 children ranging from the ages of 15 months to 18 years old.

Even though the disease hasn't been officially named, experts believe it could be the rare Human Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), which is related to the rhinovirus (common cold).

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) was first discovered in 1962 in California but has not been commonly reported in the U.S. EV-D68 can be spread from person to person and from surface to other surfaces through the touch, coughs and sneezes from an infected individual.

While many of the infections are mild, some children are experiencing life-threatening symptoms like difficulty breathing, especially among children with chronic illnesses, such as asthma.

What are some of the other symptoms associated with this virus?

Some children might be showing signs of the common cold, while others do not. Some may have a fever, while others are fever-free but are coughing and wheezing. Other symptoms include trouble breathing, sneezing, runny nose, and body aches.

What else do you need to know about the virus?

Dr. Robert Glatter shares what the virus is, what the common symptoms are and what you can do you to protect your children.