This disease can be fatal in severe cases, so be careful if you have children at home!

Recently, several children in Shifang City, Sichuan Province, developed fever symptoms after swimming in a swimming pool. After testing, it was initially determined that it was caused by adenovirus.

As a more serious viral infection in children, parents must understand its prevention and treatment!

1

What is adenovirus?

Adenovirus is not a new virus, but a common virus that causes respiratory infections in children. 4%-10% of community-acquired pneumonia in children is caused by adenovirus infection.

In addition to causing respiratory infections, adenoviruses can also cause pharyngitis, keratoconjunctivitis, gastroenteritis, and diarrheal diseases.

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Most adenovirus infections have mild symptoms, with one or two cases occurring in every 100 hospitalized children. Most cases have mild symptoms and can heal on their own, with no significant seasonal differences.

But from a medical point of view, some cases may develop severe and critical conditions, or even death. In particular, patients with immunodeficiency or chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, etc. are at a higher risk of developing serious diseases after infection with adenovirus . Generally speaking, the mortality rate of severe patients is relatively high, and some severe patients have a mortality rate of 30%-40%. However, in places with good medical conditions, the mortality rate is only 10%.

Adenovirus is highly contagious. Although anyone can be infected, it is most common in children under 5 years old , with infants aged 6 months to 2 years being particularly susceptible. The incubation period is generally 2 to 21 days, with an average of 3 to 8 days.

The symptoms of adenovirus infection are similar to those of influenza, but there is currently no specific medicine for it. This is also an important reason for the high mortality rate among patients with severe adenovirus infection.

The high fever caused by adenovirus can last for 1-2 weeks. If it causes pneumonia, it will be more serious and will cause damage to the lungs. Some people even have sequelae.

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2

How to determine whether a child is "attacked" by adenovirus?

Persistent fever, cough, and wheezing are the most obvious symptoms of adenovirus infection . However, because the early clinical manifestations of adenovirus infection are similar to those of the common cold, many parents mistakenly think that it is just a cold and do not pay enough attention to it, resulting in delays in the best treatment time.

The correct way to confirm the diagnosis is to go to a regular hospital in time, where the diagnosis can be detected through a nasopharyngeal swab .

Adenoviruses are spread by:

1) Droplet transmission , which is also the main mode of transmission, such as when the patient coughs or sneezes;

2) Contact transmission , such as hands touching objects or surfaces contaminated with adenovirus, touching the mouth, nose or eyes without washing hands, etc.;

3) Gastrointestinal transmission : adenovirus can be transmitted through the feces of an infected person, such as during diaper changes.

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3

How can we avoid being targeted by adenovirus?

To prevent adenovirus infection, you can wear a mask, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands , avoid close contact with patients, especially wear a mask in public places and other crowded places.

Other considerations include:

Clean sinks, kitchen counters and other surfaces with a mixture of bleach and water; do not share towels, bedding, pajamas and other personal items with others; cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing; ventilate the room more often to keep the environment clean.

Once infected with adenovirus, those with mild symptoms should stay at home and rest, and avoid going to public places. If severe symptoms such as persistent high fever, cough, and shortness of breath occur, go to the hospital in time, and severe cases require hospitalization.

Source: Science Popularization China WeChat Official Account

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