The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) recently detected an imported case of enterovirus 71 infection through the community disease surveillance system. The case is a three-year-old boy who permanently resides in Malaysia with his parents.  When he returned to Taiwan on November 26, 2014, he experienced sore throat and earache.  On the following day, he sought medical attention when he developed rashes on palms, soles, knees and buttocks.  Infection with enterovirus 71 was confirmed in the case through laboratory testing.  His younger sister had also developed similar symptoms.  As of now, both of them have recovered.  Taiwan CDC reminds the public that although winter is not the enterovirus season, the virus remains active in winter.  Enterovirus infection can take place all year around. The public is advised to practice good personal hygiene regardless of where they are to ward off infection.

According to Taiwan CDC’s surveillance data, this year’s enterovirus activity began to increase in March and has continuously decreased after reaching a peak in June.  Thus far, a total of 6 cases of enterovirus infection with severe complications were confirmed, including 1 case of CA 2, 1 case of CA5, 1case of CA16, 1 case of CB5, 1 case of EV71 , and 1 case of Echo11 in a newborn that died. This year, coxsackie A virus is the dominant virus strain circulating in the community.  The few cases of enterovirus 71 infection that were detected in November this year were later confirmed to belong to subgenotype B5 by gene sequence alignment.  In recent years, enterovirus 71 subgenotype B5 has been detected in neighboring countries in southeast Asia and Japan.  Large-scale outbreaks of EV71 occurred in Taiwan in 2008 and during 2011 and 2012. Although it has been two years since the last large-scale outbreak of EV71 occurred, the public must remain vigilant for the virus.  Taiwan CDC will continue to closely monitor enterovirus activity and prevent another outbreak from happening.

As enterovirus is highly contagious Taiwan CDC reminds the public that infants and children aged below 5 are at increased risk of developing enterovirus infection with severe complications. Taiwan CDC also warns that 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 persistent fever, 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 Consultation Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922.