On December 27, 2013, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced one new case of coxsackievirus A5 infection with severe complications. The case is a one-year-and-ten-month girl who resides in northern Taiwan. On December 14, she developed fever. Subsequently, when she developed suspected prodromal symptoms associated with enterovirus complications, including herpangina, convulsion, and elevation of the eye, she was rushed to a large hospital for medical treatment and was diagnosed with enterovirus infection complicated by encephalitis. As of now, the case has recovered and been discharged from the hospital. Since this is this year’s first case of coxsackievirus A5 infection with severe complications, Taiwan CDC urges the public, especially households with infants and children, to take measures to ward off infection, including washing hands thoroughly and maintaining personal hygiene.

Taiwan CDC states that most people who became infected with coxsackievirus A5 experience mild symptoms. In the past, only a few cases of coxsackievirus A5 infection confirmed in 2006, 2009 and 2010 developed severe complications and all of which recovered. According to the surveillance data compiled by Taiwan CDC, this particular strain of virus has recently become more active in the community. Hence, Taiwan CDC reminds the public that enterovirus remains active in the winter. Although the enterovirus season has passed, coxsackie A virus and enterovirus 71 continue to circulate in the community. The public is urged to stay vigilant for enterovirus. Thus far this year, as of December 26, a cumulative total of 11 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications have been confirmed, including 6 cases of EV71, 3 cases of CA6, and 1 case of CA5 that recovered and 1 case of Echo30 in a newborn that died.

Taiwan CDC once again reminds the public that infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications and some cases experience merely influenza-like symptoms that are hard to detect and can subsequently become potential sources of infection. As enterovirus is highly contagious and the risk of transmission is higher at home and school, including kindergarten, child care centers and student care centers, Taiwan CDC urges both adults and children should develop good personal hygiene habits such as washing hands properly, seeking medical attention immediately when sick, and resting at home when sick in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Parents are advised not to bring sick children to crowded public places to reduce the risk of enterovirus transmission. Child care facilities are advised to reinforce the importance of frequent hand washing and good hand washing technique for all children, and clean and disinfect the environment regularly.

Taiwan CDC also warns when a child in a household is diagnosed with enterovirus infection, parents and child caregivers are urged to refrain the sick child from close contact with other children to prevent further spread of the disease and 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. For more information on enterovirus, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922 if calling from a cell phone.