Dr. Esra Caylan, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UMMS-Baystate, published an article in the June 2018 issue of The Journal of Pediatrics that compared the characteristics and severity of respiratory disease in children testing positive for enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and for human rhinovirus (RhV).
“Comparison of the Severity of Respiratory Disease in Children Testing Positive for Enterovirus D68 and Human Rhinovirus” found that children with EV-D68 appeared to have more severe respiratory disease on admission than children with RhV as evidenced by higher rates of fever, wheezing, bronchodilator use, and pediatric intensive care unit admission. Despite the initial difference in severity, no significant difference in length of stay was found, suggesting that patients with EV-D68 recovered as quickly as other groups.
There are many viruses causing respiratory disease in children but there is inadequate information to help differentiate, manage, or prevent these infections. By comparing EV-D68 with RhV infections, the investigators hope to elucidate clinical differences between these two disease processes. There was a nationwide outbreak of EV-D68 associated with severe respiratory illness in 2014.
Citation: Caylan E, Weinblatt E, Welter J, Dozor A, Wang G, Nolan SM. Comparison of the severity of respiratory disease in children testing positive for enterovirus d68 and human rhinovirus. The journal of pediatrics. 2018;197:147-153. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.02.027.