Enterovirus In PH Not Deadly

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday clarified reports about a couple of kids that tested positive for human enterovirus, the virus that caused the illnesses and deaths of young children in Cambodia.

In an interview, DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag said the virus that was found here is not the same as the one found in Cambodia. “They tested positive for human enterovirus but it’s not the same as Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) because there are a lot of enterovirus. Among them are EV-71, polio virus, and Coxsackievirus 16. Even the common cold, these are enteroviruses,” Tayag said. EV-71 also causes Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD). The severe form of HFMD affected the Cambodian children.

Tayag explained that doctors usually test if the patient is positive for human enterovirus. If it yields a positive result, the patient will then be tested for which enterovirus has caused the disease to know if it is EV-71 or Coxsackievirus 16.

At present, he said there are seven suspected HFMD cases. Two of them have tested positive for human enterovirus. They will be subjected to another round of test that will determine whether they were affected

with EV-71 or Coxsackievirus 16. DoH expects the test to be released this week. “The EV-71 is what we call Neurotrophic which means they cling to the brain. One example of a virus that does this is the polio virus. When experts have eradicated polio, they are predicting that enterovirus will become sort of like the new Polio,” Tayag said.

He said the virus is self-limiting but the patient must be protected against dehydration because severe dehydration is fatal. Currently, there is no vaccine against EV-71.

Source: Manila Bulletin, Photos : feww.wordpress.com