Enterovirus Echo 11 Infections in Neonates, Taiwan, 2018

Enterovirus Echo 11 Infections in Neonates, Taiwan, 2018

Taiwan Centers for Disease Control detected that enteric cytopathic human orphan virus 11, Echo 11 was prevalent in the community through contract laboratory surveillance in May, 2018. Neonatal cases of Echo 11 infections with severe complications and Echo 11 clusters in neonatal care units of hospitals or nursing homes were also confirmed successively. As of September 14, 2018, a total of 181 Echo 11 cases were detected, showing a significant increase compared with the numbers in 2016 and 2017. Among these 181 cases, 35 were neonates (19.3%); 8 of which were with severe complications. The proportion of neonatal Echo 11 infection with severe complications (22.9%) was higher than other age groups, and the number of cases with severe complications and deaths was also higher than those in previous years, indicating that neonatal Echo 11 infection was associated with a higher risk of severe complications. Echovirus used to cause severe complications or death in newborns. Because the virus can be transmitted through the placenta, birth canal or asymptotic care unit personnel, it is hard to prevent. We recommended strengthening the neonatal and maternal enterovirus infection prevention and protection measures to reduce cases with severe complications and deaths, and strengthening implementation of infection control measures in maternal and neonatal care units to avoid clusters.