Respiratory virus infecting kids across the United States

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An unidentified respiratory illness has sickened over a thousand children in 10 different states. Doctors have stated that this illness may become a national problem.

Officials suspect a rare respiratory virus called Human Enterovirus 68 is the culprit. According to the CDC the virus is related to the rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

“Enterovirus (EV) 68 was originally isolated in California in 1962 from four children with respiratory illness. Since that time, reports of EV68 isolation have been very uncommon. Between 1989 and 2003, 12 additional EV68 clinical isolates were identified and characterized, all of which were obtained from respiratory specimens of patients with respiratory tract illnesses.”

Mark Pallansch of the Division of Viral Diseases at the CDC, similar cases have been cropping up across the United States. 10 states including Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Georgia have all reported suspected outbreaks of human enterovirus 68 and have requested CDC support.