讀後心得

Recently, the second case of a newborn death in the country due to infection with Enterovirus 71 this year has been reported. The patient is a male infant from the northern region who is less than one month old. Doctors point out that enteroviruses are common in newborns and can lead to severe conditions. Taiwan has not experienced an outbreak for many years, so the risk of a pandemic cannot be ruled out. The latest epidemic report indicates fluctuations in the number of enterovirus consultations recently, but there are still reports of severe cases. Experts remind that if a newborn shows symptoms such as fever or decreased activity, vigilance should be heightened, and emphasize that the transmission route of enterovirus is similar to that of other enteroviruses, primarily through contact with patient secretions or feces. The Centers for Disease Control also stated that they will continue to monitor the related epidemic.

Recently, there has been a second case of neonatal enterovirus death in the country, with the infection caused by enterovirus type 11. The infant boy was less than one month old and was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit due to respiratory distress. Doctors warn that enterovirus can easily cause severe illness in newborns, and it has not been seen in an epidemic form in Taiwan for many years, so there is a possibility of a large-scale outbreak in the future.

The infant was a premature baby who was hospitalized in mid-February due to respiratory distress. He subsequently exhibited symptoms such as low blood oxygen levels, hepatitis, decreased platelets, and deterioration of heart and kidney function. Unfortunately, he passed away on March 17, with test results confirming infection with enterovirus type 11. Currently, there are no suspected symptoms among his family and hospital contacts, and the source of the infection is still to be confirmed.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, the enterovirus epidemic is currently fluctuating at a low point, with 3,878 medical visits last week, but the number of severe cases is still increasing. Laboratory monitoring over the past four weeks shows that the predominant enterovirus is coxsackievirus A16, followed by coxsackievirus A6 and enterovirus type 11. So far this year, there have been a total of three severe enterovirus cases, of which two resulted in death, and each case involved a newborn less than one month old. The number of severe cases is slightly higher than the same period from 2021 to 2024.

Doctors point out that enterovirus typically starts to rise in April each year, peaking in June, but since the end of last year, severe cases have begun to appear, most of which involve the rare enterovirus. Older children infected with this virus usually show no obvious symptoms, but for newborns, it can lead to severe illness or even death, so there is a need to be particularly alert to symptoms such as fever and decreased activity.

Doctors further explain that if an infant is infected with enterovirus, they may rapidly deteriorate without obvious symptoms, affecting the liver and brain, and potentially leading to coma or seizures, ultimately resulting in multiple organ failure and death.

The transmission route of enterovirus is similar to that of other enteroviruses, primarily spreading through contact with a patient’s respiratory secretions or feces. Newborns can also be infected in utero. Research indicates that the antibody positivity rate for enterovirus in pregnant women is quite low, which explains why newborns are more susceptible to infection.

Doctors emphasize that enterovirus has not been prevalent in Taiwan for many years, but cases have begun to increase since the end of last year, indicating a potential risk of a pandemic. A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control also mentioned that the last outbreak of enterovirus was in 2018, and they will continue to monitor the epidemic trends.