Enterovirus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Enterovirus
Virus classification
Group:	Group IV ((+)ssRNA)
Order:	Picornavirales
Family:	Picornaviridae
Genus:	Enterovirus

Enteroviruses are a group of tiny germs called viruses. They usually live in the gut (your stomach and intestines) of humans and other mammals. Most of the time, they don't cause any problems there. However, some enteroviruses can make you sick. They can cause a mild type of meningitis, which is an infection near your brain. Some enteroviruses, like the one that causes polio, can be more serious. These viruses are made of RNA, which is like their genetic blueprint, and there are many different kinds of them.

What Are Enteroviruses?

Enteroviruses are super tiny! They are so small you can only see them with a special microscope. They are a type of virus that carries its genetic information using something called RNA. Think of RNA as a set of instructions that tells the virus how to make more copies of itself once it gets inside a living cell.

There are many different kinds of enteroviruses. Scientists have grouped them into different types, like Enterovirus A, B, C, and D. Each type can cause slightly different illnesses.

How Do Enteroviruses Spread?

Enteroviruses mostly spread from person to person through something called the "fecal-oral route." This sounds a bit gross, but it means the virus can pass from the poop of an infected person to the mouth of another person. This often happens if someone doesn't wash their hands well after using the bathroom and then touches food or other surfaces.

Some enteroviruses, like enterovirus D68 and rhinoviruses (which cause the common cold), can also spread through the air. This happens when an infected person coughs or sneezes, sending tiny droplets with the virus into the air. If you breathe in these droplets, you can get sick.

What Kinds of Sickness Do They Cause?

Most of the time, if you get an enterovirus infection, you might not even know it! Many people have no symptoms or only very mild ones, like a common cold.

However, enteroviruses can cause a range of illnesses, including:

• Common Cold: Many rhinoviruses are a type of enterovirus and are a main cause of the common cold. You might have a runny nose, sore throat, and cough.
• Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: This is common in young children but can affect older kids too. It causes painful sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet.
• Meningitis: As mentioned, enteroviruses can cause a mild form of meningitis. This is when the lining around your brain and spinal cord gets inflamed. It can cause a bad headache, fever, and stiff neck. Most cases caused by enteroviruses are not as serious as bacterial meningitis.
• Polio: The poliovirus is a very well-known enterovirus. It can cause a serious disease called polio, which can lead to paralysis (when you can't move parts of your body). Thanks to vaccines, polio is now very rare in most parts of the world.
• Other Illnesses: In some cases, enteroviruses can cause other problems like muscle pain, rashes, or even heart infections, though these are less common.

How Can We Prevent Enterovirus Infections?

The best way to avoid getting or spreading enteroviruses is to practice good hygiene:

• Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid Touching Your Face: Try not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean Surfaces: Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces that many people touch, like doorknobs and toys.
• Stay Home When Sick: If you're feeling unwell, especially with a fever, it's best to stay home from school or other activities to avoid spreading germs to others.
• Vaccines: For some serious enteroviruses like poliovirus, there are effective vaccines that can protect you from getting sick.

Images for kids

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  Enteroviruses generally infect by the fecal–oral route and target the gastrointestinal epithelium early during their life cycle. They can also infect by the respiratory tract as in the case of enterovirus D68 and rhinoviruses.

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  Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees of enterovirus species A, B, C, D and rhinovirus A, B, C isolates from Latin America. The 5'UTR region is much more affected by recombination events than the VP4/VP2 coding sequence.

See also

In Spanish: Enterovirus para niños