In the News: Common virus blamed for infant deaths

It seems like all the articles in the news are about death and mayhem and what you should be avoiding. Today's article is no exception. Reading again on MSNBC's website in the Health: Kids and Parenting section I saw the article Common virus blamed for infant deaths.

I am the kind of person who doesn't want to hear about the latest baby drowned or stuck in a freezer because they make me certain that you should have to have a license to have a baby. However, I do like to read informative articles concerning my child's health. Hence the "In the News" tag was born.

Anyway...

According to the article, "[Coxsackievirus B1 is] a common virus traditionally viewed as mild killed at least five U.S. infants last year, government health officials said.

The five deaths mark the first time an infection was found to be fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tens of thousands of children get the virus each year, but it seldom causes illness, and then usually mild cases. Young children, with immature immune systems, are at the greatest danger from the virus, called Coxsackievirus B1."

So, what is Coxsackievirus B1? First, you have to know what Coxsackie_B is. "Coxsackie B is the name of a group of six serotypes of pathogenic enteroviruses that trigger illness ranging from mild gastrointestinal distress to full-fledged pericarditis and myocarditis."

So, why is that important? Well because "As of 2008, there is no treatment for the Coxsackie B group of viruses. Palliative care is available, however, and patients suffering chest pain or stiffness of the neck should be examined for signs of cardiac or central nervous system involvement, respectively. Some measure of prevention can usually be achieved by basic sanitation on the part of food-service workers, though the viruses are highly contagious. Care should be taken in washing ones hands and in cleaning the body after swimming. In the event of Coxsackie-induced myocarditis or pericarditis, antiinflammatories can be given to reduce damage to the heart muscle. There is no vaccine for any member of the group."

Now, back to the article. "The virus seems to be most visible in the spring and summer, so it will be several months before doctors know whether it is a serious problem this year, said Dr. Harry Keyserling, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at the Emory University School of Medicine.

The virus, named after the New York town of Coxsackie, can spread through droplets in the air, mouth-to-mouth contact or through contact with feces. Early symptoms include listlessness, lack of appetite and fever. In a tiny percentage of cases, the virus can overrun the liver, heart and lungs and cause bleeding in the brain."

We should always care about hygeine and washing hands. Here, we have the ever present "feces" contact that can transmit this virus (again). But, as long as kids wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom, it looks like we can at least make an effort to protect ourselves and our children.

I hope you are finding these "In the News" articles informative!!