On November 27, 2012, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s first coxsackie B3 infection with severe complications confirmed in a newborn. The case is a five-day-old newborn baby boy who resides in southern Taiwan. During early November, he developed symptoms such as shallow breathing, decreased activity level and yellowing of the skin. In addition, the case developed prodromal signs of complications such as tachycardia, jaundice, coagulation disorder and elevated hepatic activity index. After receiving prompt treatment at a large hospital and under the attentive care of the medical personnel, the case is stable and recovering. Taiwan CDC would like to urge physicians, moms-to-be, and parents of newborns to remain vigilant against enterovirus.

A coxsackie B3 outbreak occurred in Taiwan about 7 years ago in 2005, which resulted in 26 cases of coxsackie B3 infection with severe complications, including two deaths. Currently, sporadic cases of coxsackie B3 infection continue to occur in the community. Hence, Taiwan CDC will continue to closely monitor coxsackie B3 virus activity. As of November 26, 2012, a cumulative total of 153 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been reported this year. Of the cases, 149 were infected with enterovirus 71, including two deaths.

Coxsackie B3 infection often occurs in infants younger than three months of age. They can become infected during delivery or after delivery through contact with an infected person. The symptoms of coxsackie B3 infection are different from those of the more commonly seen enterovirus infection. The symptoms primarily include fever, meningitis, hepatitis, sepsis, and myocarditis. Taiwan CDC reminds moms-to-be to pay attention to their own health and the health of the children in the household from 14 days prior to delivery till after. If symptoms such as fever, upper respiratory infection, diarrhea andpleurodynia develop, please notify the physician and stay isolated to avoid passing the disease to newborns. On the other hand, physicians should closely monitor the health of newborns and reinforce the contamination control requirements of the baby nursery in the hospital

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Although the enterovirus season has passed, low enterovirus activity continues to be detected in the community. The public is advised to stay vigilant. Taiwan CDC once again warns that enterovirus is highly contagious and maintaining hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent enterovirus infecton. Infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications. Therefore, when a child below 5 years of age in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, parents and child caregivers are urged to pay close attention to the symptoms of the sick child. Once the sick child develops suspected symptoms such as drowsiness, disturbed consciousness, inactivity, flaccid paralysis,myoclonic jerk, continuous vomiting, tachypnea, and tachycardia, please take the child to a large hospital immediately in order to ensure prompt treatment. Further, please refrain the sick child from close contact with other children to prevent further spread of the disease. For more information on enterovirus, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922, or 0800-024582 if calling from a cell phone, or visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw.