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Enterovirus D68

Last reviewed: 7 Apr 2025
Last updated: 01 Apr 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • wheezing
  • shortness of breath
  • acute flaccid limb weakness
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • rhinorrhea
  • cough
  • sneezing
  • muscle aches
  • fever
Full details

Risk factors

  • <18 years of age
  • history of asthma, wheezing
  • history of chronic lung disease
  • late summer or fall
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • clinical diagnosis
Full details

Tests to consider

  • respiratory viral testing
  • real-time reverse transcription (rRT) PCR assay or molecular sequencing
  • pulse oximetry
  • contrast MRI of the spine and brain
  • lumbar puncture
  • electromyography
  • testing for poliovirus
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ONGOING

with mild upper respiratory symptoms

with asthma exacerbation or severe unexplained lower respiratory illness

with acute flaccid myelitis

Contributors

Authors

Giovanni Piedimonte, MD, FAAP, FCCP
Giovanni Piedimonte

Vice-President for Research and Institutional Official

Office of Research; Departments of Pediatrics, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Tulane University

New Orleans

LA

Disclosures

GP declares that he has no competing interests.

Elisabeth Toverud Landaas, MD, PhD

Senior Medical Officer and Associate Professor in Medical Microbiology

Department of Microbiology

Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo

Oslo

Norway

Disclosures

ETL declares that she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Giovanni Piedimonte and Dr Elisabeth T. Landaas would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Charles B. Foster and Dr Neil R. Friedman, both previous co-contributors of this topic. CBF and NRF declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Megan Culler Freeman, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

PA

Disclosures

MCF declares that she has no competing interests.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Oermann CM, Schuster JE, Conners GP, et al. Enterovirus D68: a focused review and clinical highlights from the 2014 United States outbreak. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2015 May;12(5):775-81. Abstract

Midgley CM, Jackson MA, Selvarangan R, et al. Severe respiratory illness associated with enterovirus d68 - missouri and illinois, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Sep 12;63(36):798-9.Full text  Abstract

Greninger AL, Naccache SN, Messacar K, et al. A novel outbreak enterovirus D68 strain associated with acute flaccid myelitis cases in the USA (2012-14): a retrospective cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2015 Jun;15(6):671-82. Abstract

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Non-polio enterovirus: clinical overview of enterovirus D68. Apr 2024 [internet publication].Full text

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM): clinical guidance for the acute medical treatment of AFM. Jun 2024 [internet publication].Full text

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Enterovirus D68 images
  • Differentials

    • Rhinovirus infection
    • Seasonal influenza infection
    • Respiratory syncytial virus infection
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • Clinical overview of Enterovirus D68​
    • Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM): clinical guidance for the acute medical treatment of AFM​
    More Guidelines
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