As adenovirus cases spike in West Bengal, know more about the symptoms, treatment, and precautions

Adenovirus, which causes a mild cold, or flu-like, illness that can affect people of all ages, is especially affecting children.At present, West Bengal is witnessing a sudden spike in adenovirus cases, with health officials reporting that at least 30 per cent of samples sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED) in Kolkata since January have tested positive for the virus. Adenovirus, which causes a mild cold, or flu-like, illness and can affect people of all ages, is especially affecting children with pediatric wards in hospitals filling up quickly.

What is adenovirus?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adenovirus is a common virus that causes mild cold or flu-like illness that can affect people of all ages. There are various types of human adenovirus, some of which are associated with severe forms of diseases and can cause life-threatening complications while others can cause milder infections.Dr Suresh Kumar Panuganti, lead consultant-pediatric critical care and paediatrics, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad said, “By 10 years of age, all children would have had at least one episode of adenovirus infection. It usually causes mild flu-like illness resembling the common cold. It can also cause conjunctivitis (pink eye with sticky eye discharge associated with pain — rarely it can lead to severe complications), fever, diarrhoea, which includes vomiting, loose stools”.He added that occasionally, however, it can cause severe illnesses like “pneumonia (which can be associated with breathing difficulty and might require hospitalisation), and bronchiolitis in younger infants (cough, fever, breathing difficulty). Rarely, it can cause multisystem involvement including heart (myocarditis and cardiomyopathy), kidneys (nephritis or cystitis) and brain (meningoencephalitis).”

Kids who are at higher risk of adenovirus
According to Dr Panuganti, kids who are born preterm or with lower birth weight, children with reduced immunity or immunodeficiency, and those with kidney problems or heart diseases are at a higher risk of developing Adenovirus.

Spread of Adenovirus
Adenovirus usually spreads from one infected person to another through personal contact such as shaking hands or touching, coughing or sneezing through droplets and touching an object or surfaces which may be touched by another person.There are various types of human adenovirus, some of which are associated with severe forms of diseases and can cause life-threatening complications while others can cause milder infections. (Pic source: Pixabay)

Prevention of spread

Dr Panuganti shared tips to prevent the spread of adenovirus. They are:

*Frequent handwashing with soap and water
*Wearing a face mask while in crowded areas
*Avoid unnecessary touching of mouth, nose and eyes
*Avoid handshake with an infected person
*Sneezing and coughing into the elbow to avoid transferring the virus into the palms
*Avoid contact with an infected person

When you are sick, protect others.

*Stay home when you are sick.
*Wear a mask to stop the spread
*Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
*Avoid sharing cups and eating utensils with others.
*Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds

Treatment

There is no specific proven antiviral medication for adenovirus infections. “Treatment is usually symptomatic; depending on the clinical presentation, some children would require hospitalisation and some would require oxygen support. The hydration of the patient is important. Personal hygiene should be maintained,” Dr Panuganti told indianexpress.com, adding that with the advent of PCR techniques, adenovirus is being detected very frequently by using nasopharyngeal swab testing.

“But, as the good old saying goes, prevention is better than cure – stay safe and stay protected,” he concluded.