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Professor Nikiforov: What You Need to Know About the "Unknown" Coxsackie Virus
It is possible that the infection was brought by tourists returning from Turkey. Not long ago, Rospotrebnadzor reported that it was monitoring the situation at Turkish resorts, and today it announced tightening control over the work of preventive "filters" in kindergartens and schools. Professor Vladimir Nikiforov, head of the Department of Epidemiology and Epidemiology at Pirogov University, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta what kind of virus it is.
"To be honest, I was surprised that there was such a fuss around the news of the Coxsackie case. This is far from a new virus, it has long been known to specialists and has been well studied. The Coxsackie group belongs to the enteroviruses. More than 70 of them have been described. And since this group was first described in the American city of Coxsackie, the virus received its exotic name," said Vladimir Nikiforov.
He noted that one of the characteristics of the virus is that it can manifest itself differently in infected people. Although many people have no symptoms at all, the disease is usually characterized by flu-like symptoms, but with a rash (ulcers) forming on the hands, feet and mouth.
"Voming and diarrhea may also occur," said Professor Nikiforov. "And in some mild forms, such as ARVI, in rare cases the virus can cause complications."
The virus is attracted to water, so it becomes active at resorts during the warm season. Reports of this regularly come from Turkey, but outbreaks have also been recorded in other resort countries, including Spain, Portugal, other Mediterranean countries and Israel. , Japan.
"This is an intestinal infection, a feco-oral virus. Viruses also exist in the ocean, but in minimal concentrations. And infections spread in swimming pools if they are not treated properly. The virus is highly contagious. Aerosol transmission is also possible with water. You can also become infected from a carrier of the virus. The person himself is not sick, but the virus is released and infects others. However, infections usually do not pose a significant threat. "Professor Nikiforov said not to panic.