What it is? Coxsackievirus is a group of 30 active enteroviruses that multiply in the gastrointestinal tract of a child. The epidemic caused by the virus spreads in the form of intestinal diseases among young children. The disease was first diagnosed in the small US town of Coxsackie, and due to the high level of contagion, it quickly spread around the globe.

These viruses are considered "children's", since children from 3 to 10 years old get sick mainly. An outbreak of the Coxsackie virus is characterized by the defeat of a significant number of persons in close contact, with a wave-like course of clinical symptoms lasting up to 21 days. In the article, we will consider: what kind of virus it is, the causes and symptoms of the disease, what treatment is effective for the Coxsackie virus, as well as the main methods of prevention in children.

What is the Coxsackie virus?

Coxsackievirus is a viral infection belonging to the family of herpetic viruses that live and multiply in the human digestive tract. Coxsackie is often manifested by the hand-foot-mouth syndrome. The syndrome gets its name from the typical rashes that cover these parts of the body. Its symptoms resemble well-known stomatitis, intestinal flu, sometimes the disease is mistakenly diagnosed as acute poliomyelitis.

contagious by 98% - when it comes to close contact with the patient or his things.

The main risk category for the development of a disease caused by the Coxsackie virus or the development of a virus carrier are children from 3 to 10 years old, while in newborns, as well as breastfed infants, persistent immune defense mechanisms are formed in the body that prevent the development of the disease.

In adolescents and the adult population, the Coxsackie virus, after entering the body, does not provoke the development of active clinical symptoms and has a latent course with the subsequent formation of immunity.

Ways of transmission and main causes of the disease

Coxsackie is a disease of dirty hands. 97% of infections occur through food - through hands, dishes, unwashed fruits, tap water. That is why the virus mainly affects young children who have not yet developed strong hygiene skills (wash hands, do not drink raw untreated water). The category most susceptible to the disease is children of preschool and primary school age.

A person can become infected from another sick person, and often from a virus carrier. Often people pick up an infection in hotels in Turkey, Cyprus or other places of recreation.

In the first few days of the disease, the Coxsackie virus is maximally concentrated in the nasopharyngeal mucus, while its active reproduction occurs in the human intestinal lumen, which creates conditions for the transmission of the virus by the fecal-oral route. Direct infection of the macroorganism occurs at the time of consumption of contaminated food and water.

The time between the introduction of the virus and its activation is called the incubation period. For the Coxsackie virus, it is from 2 to 10 days. After an incubation period, an acute form of the disease occurs. Visible symptoms appear - fever, indigestion, rash on the palms and feet, rashes inside the mouth.

How can you get infected?

You can get the virus through drinking water and water in swimming pools, as well as through contaminated food. Enteroviruses spread rapidly if personal hygiene rules are not followed. It is enough for the patient to visit the toilet, not wash his hands and use household items to spread the infection throughout the house.

You can protect the child from infection and carry out prevention initially. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that all parents give their children to drink only purchased filtered water, and wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before use. This will be the prevention of infection with the Coxsackie virus.

Important! The patient should be isolated from healthy children and adults. It is desirable that the isolation lasts about 1-1.5 weeks.

The outcome of the infection is determined by the type of virus and the personal characteristics of the patient's body:

1. The person recovers completely (all viral particles are destroyed).
2. The process becomes chronic (neurons and internal organs retain the virus indefinitely).
3. The patient becomes a virus carrier.

How is the infection progressing?

The main features of enterovirus infections:

• almost always - this is an acute onset;
• the infection usually proceeds violently, the patient is put to bed;
• manifestations of enteroviruses can be very diverse;
• relatively quickly recovery occurs;
• complications rarely develop;
• The most dangerous is the Coxsackievirus group B.

Measures of specific prevention (vaccination) against the Coxsackie virus have not been developed to date.

In addition to these types of diseases, they share the forms and variants of the course of enterovirus diseases.

Coxsackie viruses are divided into two large groups:

• type A virus (causes meningitis and throat infections);
• type B virus (causes inflammatory and degenerative changes in the brain, muscles and heart).

Course options: light, medium and heavy.

The severity of the course of the disease primarily depends on the degree of damage to vital organs (the brain and its membranes, heart, liver), as well as the severity of intoxication.

In addition, the course of enteroviral infections can be:

• smooth - recovery occurs within 10-20 days;
• wavy;
• recurrent;
• with complications.

Forms of the disease:

• isolated - in the presence of only one syndrome;
• combined - when the virus affects several organs and systems.

Symptoms of the Coxsackie virus and photo

The incubation period from the moment of infection, before the first signs in the form of rashes appear, is about 10 days. Other symptoms also appear, such as:

• A sharp increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees and above;
• taxation of the tongue;
• general weakness;
• sore throat;
• malnutrition;
• enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes.

In the photo below, the characteristic signs of the Coxsackie virus:

Depending on the prevalence of any symptom, there are several clinical forms of this disease:

• Herpangina or enteroviral vesicular. This is an infection that provokes the development of sores on the tonsils and soft palate and back of the throat.
• epidemic myalgia- the leading symptom is the development of pain in all muscle groups.
• Pathology of the nervous system- damage to the membranes of the brain (serous meningitis). A more severe form of infection with the development of severe headache, severe intoxication. Some serotypes of the Coxsackie virus can lead to the development of temporary paralysis of the muscles of the legs (remind).
• Enteroviral fever- characterized by the absence of specific symptoms, there is only a rise in body temperature and poor general well-being of the child.
• Enteroviral exanthema- The main manifestation of infection is the appearance of a rash on the skin.

Complete healing of red blisters is observed after 6-7 days, and the rash - after 10-12. The occurrence of complications depends on the quality of treatment and the timeliness of contacting a doctor. How to treat the Coxsackie virus is better to ask the doctor. Doctors advise to relieve fever and pain with Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.

Coxsackie virus in children

The disease can easily be confused with chickenpox or allergies. The virus has several symptoms and can also occur in various countries. Incubation period, or the time from infection to the first symptoms of the disease, with the Coxsackie virus is usually 3-6 days, less often from 2 to 10 days. A child already in this period may have a poor appetite, become lethargic and drowsy, act up.

Symptoms of the Coxsackie virus in children:

• fever;
• headaches of varying degrees of intensity;
• severe weakness;
• chills;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• catarrhal phenomena - runny nose, pain or perspiration in the oropharynx;
• loss of appetite;
• muscle pain (myalgia);
• fast fatiguability;
• heartbeat;
• in the younger age group - false croup.

Very often, the Coxsackie virus is confused with a rash with allergies (including antibiotics), or chickenpox, since the clinical manifestations of these diseases are similar.

The Coxsackie virus in children in the photo with herpangina looks like a specific plaque on the arches of the palatine tonsils, tongue, back of the pharynx.

The disease caused by the Coxsackie virus in children can occur in two forms:

• typical;
• atypical.

Typical forms of the disease manifest themselves in the form of lesions:

• isolated (enteroviral tonsillitis, exanthema or fever, hepatitis, myalgia and gastroenteritis);
• nervous system (serous meningitis, encephalitis, paralysis and encephalomyocarditis of newborns);
• heart (endocarditis, pericarditis and myocarditis);
• genitourinary system (orchitis, epididymitis, cystitis);
• eyes (uveitis - inflammation of the choroid, conjunctivitis).

Due to the fact that the initial signs have a lot of similarities with SARS, the diagnosis sometimes ends in this process, and then the wrong decisions on treatment are made. This exacerbates the overall picture. But after 1-2 days, other phenomena appear on the palms and feet - a rash in adults and children (vesicles are 3 mm in diameter).

Hand-foot-mouth syndrome is also often observed - a rash appears simultaneously on the oral mucosa, palms and feet.

An urgent call to a pediatrician is necessary if a child has:

• Paleness of the skin;
• The appearance of blue on the body, near the ears, between the fingers;
• The occurrence of signs of dehydration: lethargy, dry lips, decreased urination, increased drowsiness, delirium, dizziness;
• Sharp headache;
• Refusal to eat;
• Long fever.

With severe infection, urgent hospitalization is necessary.

Treatment for children includes:

• bed rest for the entire period of intoxication,
• a diet with enough fluids and vitamins,
• plentiful drink,
• in case of severe diarrhea and vomiting - taking rehydration solutions.

Sick children are quarantined for 2 weeks. The prognosis of treatment in most cases is favorable. After the disease, persistent specific immunity develops.

The doctor may need to re-check for the presence of Coxsackie viruses in the body. This rarely occurs, but sometimes in children the disease becomes additionally inflamed. Signs of a contagious infection are dehydration in which the child refuses to swallow because of a sore throat. If the newborn refuses food or water, moisten the nipples more than usual and call the doctor.

For prevention, special attention should be paid to:

• Drinking water (as well as in the pool, where the child can take a sip while swimming);
• Food (strong heat does not contribute to long-term storage of food);
• Protect children from sun and heat stroke.

Coxsackie virus in adults

Coxsackievirus in adults is a rare medical case. The older the person, the less likely he is to contract such an infection. The routes of entry of the virus are the same for patients of any age.

If infection with the Coxsackie type A virus has occurred, and everything is in order with the immune system, the infection is often asymptomatic. Sometimes the following symptoms are observed:

• redness of some skin areas;
• small papular rash of pinkish color;
• brief fever.

With the type B virus in adults, the following symptoms are possible:

• the appearance of redness, rash;
• loss of appetite;
• heat;
• sore throat;
• cough;
• runny nose;
• diarrhea.

For the general health of an adult, the disease does not carry any dangerous phenomena and consequences. A rash on the body with a competent approach will pass quickly, leaving no consequences for the general internal state of health.

Possible Complications

The Coxsackie virus usually passes quickly and leaves no consequences. But in rare cases, complications develop:

• dehydration of the body;
• pulmonary edema;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• diabetes;
• severe forms and myocarditis.

Diagnostics

Which doctor should I contact when the first symptoms appear? If a person has or suspects the development of the Coxsackie virus, a person should immediately seek help from such doctors as an infectious disease specialist, an epidemiologist.

Enterovirus infection is diagnosed on the basis of:

• examination of the child;
• a blood test for the detection of pathogen RNA and antibodies to it;
• analysis of feces, flushing from the nasal mucosa, scrapings from the skin or conjunctiva (depending on the location of the lesion).

How to treat the Coxsackie virus

If the disease proceeds without complications, then it is treated in the same way as conventional ARVI. Basically, it is enough to be treated at home. Pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy is carried out:

1. If the child has a high fever, then antipyretics should be taken: Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Ibufen.
2. To increase immunity, the use of immunomodulators is indicated: interferons or immunoglobulins.
3. Antipyretics - give with poor temperature tolerance (ibuprofen, paracetamol). With normal tolerance, the temperature is not brought down (a rise in temperature is a protective reaction of the body, which helps to control and limit the reproduction of the virus).
4. Antiseptics: soda and salt rinses are used to treat the mouth, and fukortsin and greenery are used to treat the skin. To reduce itching - baths with soda. They can also prescribe: Tantum Verde, Geksoral.
5. Antihistamines of local or general action to reduce itching - Vitaon Baby, Fenistil gel, Suprastin, Zirtek.
6. Antibiotics: the use of antibacterial drugs in the Coxsackie virus is allowed only with the addition of a bacterial component with the preferred use of agents with a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity.
7. To support the immune system, it is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of vitamins and trace elements, which are sold in pharmacies as over-the-counter supplements. Echinacea, shiitake mushrooms and goji berries also have a positive effect on the immune system.

Treatment of skin rashes is also not carried out. It is recommended to protect the elements of the rash from scratching, and also not to take a bath until complete recovery. Local therapy for skin forms of the disease is not prescribed.

If a child or an adult is dehydrated, it is worth paying attention to taking the amount of water that the body needs to maintain normal life.

Nutrition

• Feed in small portions, but often (5-6 times a day).
• Avoid salty, spicy and sour foods.
• Prepare food by steaming, baking or boiling.
• Include foods rich in vitamins (fruits, vegetables) in your diet.

You can treat the disease with folk remedies:

1. Rinse your mouth with a decoction of chamomile.
2. Drink tea with cinnamon and honey. It soothes a sore throat.
3. Eat more garlic, which resists viral infection.

Prevention of the Coxsackie virus in children and adults

Prevention of the Coxsackie virus will help to avoid the disease:

• Wash your hands with soap and water after walking and going to the toilet.
• Use only purified drinking water.
• Food must be treated with boiling water.
• Do not use common cutlery: let each family member have their own cup, spoon, fork.

If someone in the family is still infected with the Coxsackie virus, be sure to provide him with separate personal hygiene items, which will reduce the chance of transmitting the infection to healthy people. Do not forget about the thorough maintenance of cleanliness in the house. Personal hygiene products such as pads, diapers, wipes, etc. must be disposed of immediately after use.

Prevention of any disease depends on the degree of protective mechanisms. It is necessary to harden the child, to be in the fresh air more often and to eat right so that the immune system is normal.

A young mother turned to the editorial office of the DELFI Reporter with a request to help sort it out. “The fact is that now viruses have “gone” in kindergartens, and many people are sick with the Coxsackie virus. Is the kindergarten obliged to introduce quarantine in this case?” - the woman is interested.

“The fact is that now in many kindergartens children are sick with the Coxsackie virus, which is accompanied by diarrhea, rashes around the mouth, on the skin, fever. However, parents are simply confronted with the fact that there is a virus in the kindergarten,” Alena writes. “In this regard, I have a question - is there still such a thing as quarantine? Who establishes it and who controls the situation? Because every morning you take your baby to the garden as if to Calvary, and then you sit all day at work and are nervous whether he will get infected or not. no one tells you whether there will be some kind of disinfection or quarantine. I think that after the case when, the topic of health control in kindergartens is still relevant for many parents."

The DELFI reporter contacted the Ministry of Health for clarification. Cabinet Regulation Nr.890 ("Requirements for Hygiene in Preschool Educational Institutions") states that kindergarten does not accept children with symptoms of infectious diseases(diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, fever (greater than 37.5°C), changes in the behavior of the child - drowsiness, refusal to eat, rapid heartbeat and breathing), unless supervision is carried out for one child or for children from the same family, or it is possible to ensure the isolation of a sick child by placing him in a separate room and ensuring the supervision of a doctor. It is also established that it is forbidden to accept children with pediculosis.

"If a child has symptoms of an infectious disease, employees of an educational institution are obliged to inform parents in a timely manner that children cannot attend kindergarten. In turn, in such preschool educational institutions where children spend around the clock, there should be rooms for short-term isolation children in case of infection," says Oskar Schneiders, spokesman for the Ministry of Health.

Kindergartens should develop internal rules of procedure that specify how the kindergarten and parents act if a child is diagnosed with an infectious disease. Parents must be aware of these rules.

According to Article 36.1 of the Law on Epidemiological Safety, if an infectious disease that is not considered dangerous is detected in an educational institution, the decision on quarantine is made by the head of this institution. The epidemiologists of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control impose quarantine only if it concerns registered dangerous infectious diseases. Diseases caused by the Coxsackie virus (with the exception of meningitis and encephalitis) are not included in this list, so the decision on quarantine is made by the head of the kindergarten.

The list of diseases caused by the Coxsackie virus can be found on the website of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control at this link: https://www.spkc.gov.lv/lv/tavai-veselibai/infekcijas-slimibas/apraksti/enterovirusu-meningits

Coxsackieviruses belong to a large group of enteroviruses, and can cause various, mostly mild, clinical manifestations. You can most often become infected through contact with the secretions of an infected person, for example, with saliva, mucus, and feces. You can also become infected by coming into contact with the contents of the rashes on the patient's skin. The patient usually poses a threat to others in the first week of illness, in turn, the virus can be shed for two weeks.

There is no specific treatment, only symptomatic. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, especially after contact with the patient or surfaces that he touched. It is advisable not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth with dirty hands, and avoid close contact (kissing, hugging and eating from the same dish) with an infected person. Objects (children's toys, door handles) and surfaces that are frequently used must be disinfected.

Good evening!!! We have such a situation. Since September 1, I have been taking my granddaughter to kindergarten. The bride is expecting her second child. Quite by accident, I learned from my parents that half of the group had been ill with the Coxsackie virus. That is, the disease began a month ago and is gaining momentum. From that day on, the granddaughter was not taken to the garden. But, she still got sick. Pregnant daughter-in-law and me too. To my indignation why the educators did not report the disease after the illness of the first children, I was told that the educators are not obliged to notify the parents. Explain to me please, is it so?! I do not understand anything. Do not keep silent educators, we could have avoided the disease. The gestation period is short, it is not known how it will affect the baby. Thanks in advance!

Answer: from your information, we can conclude that there are many violations of sanitary rules in the preschool educational institution ("SP 3.1.2950-11. Prevention of enterovirus (non-polio) infection", "MU 3.1.1.2969-11. 3.1.1. Prevention of infectious diseases. Intestinal infections" etc.). In particular, paragraph 6.3-6.9 of SP 3.1.2950-11 states:

- the obligation to prepare a plan of anti-epidemic and preventive measures, which includes: the introduction of restrictions (primarily in children's organized groups), the suspension of classes in primary school in case of deterioration of the epidemiological situation, etc.;

- active identification of patients by the method of questioning, examination during the morning admission of children to the team (for organized children), as well as during door-to-door (door-to-door) rounds;

- medical observation of contacts daily with the inclusion of the results of the examination in the relevant medical documents (lists of observations);

- after isolation of a patient with EVI (or a person suspected of having this disease) in an organized children's group, carrying out restrictive measures, including: prohibition of the participation of a quarantine group in general cultural events of a children's organization; organization of quarantine group walks in compliance with the principle of group isolation at the site and when returning to the group; observance of the principle of isolation of children of the quarantine group when catering; etc.

That is, when the first case of a child from the PEO group with enterovirus infection (EVI) with the causative agent of the Coxsackie virus is detected, a set of measures should be carried out in the PEO in accordance with the above documents, including a survey of parents during the morning admission of children to the PEO. On this occasion, Rospotrebnadzor should be immediately notified if this sanitary and epidemiological supervision authority has not been informed earlier.

If you prove that the cause of your granddaughter's illness was infection in the preschool and failure to take mandatory sanitary measures in the preschool (including the morning interview of parents), then you can recover from the preschool the damage from the harmful consequences of such a disease. The grounds for full liability for the harmful consequences of a disease that occurred through the fault of the employees of the preschool educational institution, and compensation for moral damage are regulated in the provisions of Art. 151, 1068, 1101, etc. of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, as well as paragraph 15. Part 3 of Art. 28, paragraph 8 and 9 part 1, paragraph 4 part 4 of Art. 41 and part 1 of Art. 68 of the Federal Law of December 29, 2012 N 273-FZ "On Education in the Russian Federation".

Vladimir Korzhov, lawyer.

Coxsackie virus can cause quarantine in kindergarten. Adults can also get sick, but more often - children under 10 years old.

In no case should you panic. The disease is well studied, methods of treatment have been worked out. It is important for parents to know the symptoms in order to take primary safety measures in time and consult a doctor.

What causes an infection?

Coxsackie belongs to the group of enteroviruses, divided into two subgroups: A and B. Penetrates the body through the mouth or nose, then develops in the gastrointestinal tract. Among the manifestations of the virus, the most characteristic are: vesicular enteroviral stomatitis (sores in the mouth) and rash (exanthema). As a rule, there is a general intoxication and disruption of the intestines.

The virus remains viable in the external environment (faeces, water) for a long time. It is destroyed by boiling (at least 20 minutes), exposure to ultraviolet rays and some disinfectants.

The incubation period is 7–10 (usually 3–6) days. Already at this time, you can notice that the child has become lethargic, capricious, drowsy.

You can get infected from a sick person or a carrier of the virus. The main routes of transmission: alimentary (with food) or airborne. The source can be:

• contaminated water and faeces;
• unwashed hands, vegetables, fruits;
• common utensils.

Animals are not carriers of the disease.

Symptoms of the Coxsackie virus in children

Even before the quarantine begins and the kindergarten temporarily stops working, you can identify the Coxsackie virus by a number of symptoms.

• High temperature, fever - a condition characteristic of viral infections.

• Lethargy, drowsiness, decreased appetite.

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea.

• Herpetic sore throat and enteroviral stomatitis - ulcers on the gums, palate, glandular mucosa (sometimes in the form of bubbles that then burst).

• A rash in the form of flat red spots, and then bubbles with the Coxsackie virus, is localized on the palms, soles of the feet, but can appear on the face, buttocks, and groin.

Signs pointing to Coxsackie rarely appear simultaneously. Sometimes the disease is asymptomatic.

Treatment and care for infection with any of the HFMD group of viruses are the same.

Prevention measures to protect children from the virus in kindergarten

Temporary isolation is a logical measure when it comes to a contagious disease. But even before the quarantine, the kindergarten and, of course, parents must take measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

• Avoid contact with sick children.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with boiled water.
• Strictly observe personal hygiene - wash hands after using the toilet, before eating, after walking.
• Swimming in natural and public water bodies, fountains, etc. is prohibited.
• Drink only boiled or bottled water.
• Do not use shared utensils.

What to do if a child becomes infected with Coxsackie?

If a child attending a kindergarten shows signs of infection with the Coxsackie virus, call a doctor immediately, and do not take the baby to the clinic, where he can infect other children and adults. There are many diseases with similar manifestations, each child carries the virus individually - medical training is needed to assess the severity of the disease and take the necessary measures.

As a rule, children recover completely in 7-10 days. The treatment is symptomatic, the child's condition is facilitated by antipyretic, antihistamines (only as prescribed by a doctor), rinses and other procedures.

What should parents do?

1. If the diagnosis is confirmed, call the garden - warn that the child has contracted the virus.
2. Wipe and, if possible, disinfect utensils and surfaces that the infected person has touched.
3. Arrange home quarantine: try to ensure the isolation of the patient from other family members.
4. A sick child should use their own utensils.
5. Take your temperature with a thermometer, not with your lips. Use a gauze bandage to avoid infection.
6. If the temperature is high and the doctor has not yet arrived, wipe the child with a weak solution of vinegar.
7. If the patient is concerned about sores in the mouth, you can rinse with a soda solution.
8. Provide the child with bed rest in a periodically ventilated area.
9. Let's drink enough - warm, not very sweet.

Simple preventive measures in kindergartens and at home reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus. If the child is sick, your calmness and confident actions will help him recover faster. And do not forget that only a doctor can prevent complications and see the whole medical picture.

1 year ago

The Coxsackie virus affects the baby's gastrointestinal tract, but as it progresses, it affects tissues and other internal organs, provoking inflammatory processes. Today, the prevention of the Coxsackie virus in children is very relevant. By taking preventive measures, parents can protect their child from illness.

Who is at risk?

The Coxsackie virus is one of the enteroviruses that mainly affects the digestive tract. It is in this environment that viruses begin to multiply actively. Remarkably, children under the age of three months cannot get sick with such an ailment, since they are still protected by maternal antibodies. Most often affects children under the age of 10 years Coxsackie virus. Symptoms and prevention of such a disease is a hot topic in recent times.

Older children can also become infected with the Coxsackie virus, but they tolerate such a disease much more easily. After recovery, a strong immunity is formed for several years.

The Coxsackie virus infects the skin of the hands, feet and mouth. A specific rash appears, which parents often confuse with chickenpox. And doctors can make mistakes when making a diagnosis.

The Coxsackie virus is considered a disease of dirty hands, which is why in medical practice it is called children's. It enters the body through contaminated objects, eating unwashed vegetables and fruits.

On a note! Children of primary school age are at risk, as they are not yet fully aware of how important hand hygiene is.

Adults can also become infected with this disease if they come into contact with a carrier of this disease. The probability of getting the Coxsackie virus into the body when communicating with an infected person is almost 100%.

These pathogens are transmitted mainly by the fecal-oral route. The source of the virus can be tap water. You can also get sick when visiting public places, swimming pools, and even when swimming in open water.

Important! Unfortunately, to date, experts have not yet come up with a vaccine against this virus, so we cannot talk about such prevention.

In most clinical cases, the virus is cured completely. It is extremely rare for a person to remain its permanent carrier. First, the virus enters the body and is localized in the mucus that accumulates in the nasopharyngeal region. Then, together with water and food, it penetrates inside, or rather, into the digestive system.

Initially, characteristic symptoms may not appear. The Coxsackie virus has a latent period, the duration of which can vary from 2 to 10 days.

The clinical picture of the disease

As already mentioned, at the initial stage, specific symptoms do not appear. Parents can only notice a general deterioration in the condition of the crumbs, weakness, complaints of malaise and fatigue. The kid becomes lethargic, refuses to play, acts up.

After the incubation period, the clinical picture becomes pronounced. The Coxsackie virus has the following symptoms:

• a sudden increase in body temperature to a mark of 38 ° and above;
• an increase in the size of lymph nodes located under the lower jaw;
• pathological fatigue;
• lethargy;
• loss of appetite;
• plaque on the tongue;
• pain in the throat.

Since the enterovirus progresses in the digestive system, the crumbs have corresponding disorders in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Further, the clinical picture changes depending on where the virus has advanced. If the Coxsackie virus affects the nervous system, then the baby develops characteristic symptoms of serous type meningitis.

This pathogenic microorganism can provoke the appearance of pharyngitis and a number of other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The Coxsackie virus also affects tissues, so the child may complain of pain in all muscle groups.

Additional symptoms include:

• nausea;
• gag reflexes;
• stool disorders;
• cardiopalmus;
• chills;
• runny nose;
• headaches of varying intensity.

As a rule, the progression of the virus provokes the appearance of rashes on the skin. The blisters heal relatively quickly within 7-12 days.

Unfortunately, drugs for the prevention of the Coxsackie virus have not yet been developed, so all preventive measures are of a general nature. Parents should teach their child about hand hygiene. They must be washed with soap after a walk, school, visiting public places and before eating.

It is extremely important to subject all food to heat treatment. If you give fruits or berries to the baby, then it is better to pour boiling water over them so as not to give the virus the opportunity to survive and get into the children's body.

As already mentioned, the virus can lurk in tap water, so it is not recommended to drink it in its original form. Water must be boiled or filtered. Even better - use purified water without gas.

It is desirable that each household has its own set of dishes. And if there is a person in the house who has already become infected with the Coxsackie virus, then he should certainly be limited from contact with the baby.

Prevention of any disease depends on the immune system. To strengthen the immunity of the child, it is necessary to balance his diet and normalize the daily routine. The kid should often be in the fresh air, play sports.

Important! Parents need to ensure that the baby constantly wash their hands with soap, because in 98% of clinical cases, the Coxsackie virus enters the fragile body through the hands.

Such activities are not enough to strengthen the immune system. The baby can be given multivitamin complexes, immunostimulating drugs. Be sure to coordinate drug therapy with the doctor.

Important! Some parents are deceived and try to vaccinate their child against the Coxsackie virus. To date, no such vaccine exists.

Particular attention should be paid to the hardening of the child's body. This does not mean at all that the baby should dive into the hole in the cold or pour cold water over it. A contrast shower will also work.