[이데일리 이지현 기자] “My child’s temperature fluctuates between 39 degrees every night, and it’s scarier than COVID-19.”
As we approach the change of seasons, every household with children is suffering from heat colds and complaining like this. Usually, in the case of a cold, the hot sensation disappears after a day or two, but this time, it is common for the hot sensation to persist for more than 5 days. What’s going on?
What are Adeno and Reno?
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 3rd, according to the results of infectious disease specimen surveillance for the 38th week (September 17 to 23), the number of patients showing symptoms suspected of influenza (flu) per 1,000 outpatients (proportion of suspected influenza patients) was 17.3. In particular, it increased in the age groups of 7 to 12 and 13 to 18.
However, the actual number of flu patients was relatively small. Looking at the detection status of viruses causing acute respiratory infections at week 37, adenovirus accounted for most, with 38% and rhinovirus 14.8%. Adenovirus is a DNA virus belonging to the Adenoviridae family, causing respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, epidemic keratoconjunctivitis, hemorrhagic cystitis, It can cause meningitis. Symptoms are respiratory infections such as febrile acute sore throat and pharyngitis, and fever, cough, and runny nose are common. In addition, symptoms such as sore throat and difficulty breathing may appear, and there are also cases of digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and eye infection symptoms such as conjunctival congestion. In severe cases, symptoms such as hemorrhagic cystitis and pneumonia may also develop.
You can become infected through respiratory droplets, direct contact with a patient, or when changing the diaper of an infected infant or toddler. In particular, it is characterized by being highly contagious to the extent that infants and young children with weak immune systems can become infected by sharing towels or toys with an infected child in communal living spaces, or even in water play areas such as swimming pools. As there is no preventive vaccine or specific antiviral agent, conservative treatment such as fluid supplementation and antipyretics is required.
Rhinovirus infection is an acute respiratory infection caused by human rhinovirus infection. Compared to other respiratory viruses, it causes less fever, but is accompanied by runny nose, sore throat, cough, sneezing, and headache. It often causes upper respiratory tract infections such as colds, otitis media, and sinusitis, but it can also cause lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. There is no preventive vaccine or specific antiviral drug, so symptomatic treatment such as fever reducers is required.
Long trend cause… Natural immunity slows down during COVID-19 pandemic
Looking at the status of hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infections over the past five years, the number of patients infected with seven viruses reached 54,841 (January to September), the largest number since 2019 (87,269). Considering that the number of patients increases during the winter, the number of acute respiratory infection patients this year could well exceed the 2019 level.
Current status of viruses confirmed in patients hospitalized with acute respiratory infections from 2019 to 2023 (Table = Provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) In particular, the cumulative number of hospitalized patients due to adenovirus infection, where the number of infected people was only around 2,000 during the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic (global pandemic), was There are currently 10,762 people. Even if you add up all the patients over the past three years, you still can’t figure out the number of patients that occurred this year. The cumulative number of hospitalized patients with rhinovirus has been less than 10,000 over the past three years, but this year there are already 14,320. The number of people infected with parainfluenza virus also exceeded 10,000.
The peak of this virus was last August. More than one in two (57.68%) acute respiratory patients hospitalized at week 35 had adenovirus infection, but as of week 38, the number has gradually decreased to 43.24%. The problem is that rhinovirus is rapidly increasing from 19.06% to 30.77% over the same period.
In addition, the flu epidemic, which has been prevalent since the winter of last year, has continued for nearly a year, so health authorities have issued a winter epidemic advisory for this year for the first time without lifting the epidemic advisory.
Choi Jeong-hwan, a professor of otolaryngology at Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, said, “At the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, there was no flu epidemic due to strengthening personal hygiene, wearing masks, and reducing people’s outdoor activities, but the lack of natural immunity due to infection for a while was the reason for the recent cold and flu outbreak. “It seems to have had an impact on the long-term trend,” he analyzed. He continued, “The flu epidemic is especially severe among school-age children and teenagers,” and added, “Even if common cold symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat appear, we recommend that you go to the hospital and receive treatment.”
2023-10-02 22:23:48
#fever #severe #COVID19.. #Adeno #Reno
