Increased incidence of Adenovirus in West Bengal: Symptoms, treatment, and precautions
Bengal health authorities have been asked to be vigilant after the state recorded a big spike in adenovirus cases that has led to pediatric wards in state-run and private hospitals filling up fast. Since January, at least 32% of samples sent to the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED) in Kolkata have tested positive for the virus, according to health officials. A six-month-old boy and a 2.5-year-old girl died on Sunday, but the adenovirus, which causes a mild cold or flu-like sickness that may affect people of all ages, has not yet been formally established as the cause of death.
Symptoms:
Infected persons may have relatively moderate symptoms like a cold or flu, a fever, and a sore throat, or acute bronchitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis and acute gastroenteritis, which is an infection of stomach. Adenovirus is capable of causing both moderate and severe illnesses, though the latter is uncommon. Adenovirus is more likely to cause serious illness in individuals with compromised immune systems, preexisting respiratory or heart disorders.
Transmission:
The virus is often transmitted by direct contact with an infected individual, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States. It can also be transmitted through the air (through coughs and sneezes) or a patient’s faeces, such as during diaper changes.
Treatment:
Currently, there is no approved course of treatment or antiviral medicine. While the majority of instances are mild, painkillers and other medications are used to treat symptoms.
Experts recommend prevention as the best method for combating the infection. To prevent infection, you should avoid contacting your eyes, nose, or mouth with contaminated hands and periodically wash your hands with soap or hand sanitizer.
