Enterovirus A71: Largest Outbreak in the US Discovered

Children’s Hospital Colorado has recently published the results of a study (conducted from
March to November 2018) which discovered the largest outbreak of enterovirus in the U.S.
Since the 1990s there have been cyclical large-scale outbreaks of this virus (A71) in Asia and
Oceania, but no large-scale outbreaks have been noted in the U.S. till now. The researchers were
concerned as to whether this was an isolated outbreak or whether it was a precursor to cyclical
outbreaks like in Asia. The study highlighted the need to improve recognition of such outbreaks
and also helped identify what medical providers should be looking for. Children with EV-A71
exhibit involuntary muscle jerks, dizziness, weakness, and instability of the autonomic system
(irregular heart rate and blood pressure). These viruses tend to appear in seasonal waves; if this
outbreak portends more outbreaks, development of vaccines against EV-A71 may need to
become a priority.

~~ Steve Blasberg