A rare virus sickens 14 babies in the Kansas City area, landing all of them in the hospital. According to CBS News , the first cases of the infections caused by HPeV3 surfaced in June. The Missouri Health Department and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working together to find out if anymore babies have been sickened. The “summer time disease” peaks in the months of July – October. Symptoms include fever, irritability, and rash, although other symptoms such as diarrhea and transient paralysis have been present in the past.
“Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Aimee Rosenow says none of the infants has died, but all have been hospitalized.”
The rare virus that has sickened 14 babies is part of a group of viruses called human parechoviruses. According to the report, these viruses can also cause meningitis. According to eCanadaNow , there is no link to one specific hospital in the Kansas City area. At this point, it is unclear whether or not any of the infections are connected since nine of the infants are from Kansas and the other five are from Missouri.
The infected babies born are believed to be in intensive care. While none of the infants have died, the condition is said to be life-threatening.
Of the 14 babies sickened by this rare virus, at least one has had some improvement after a very frightening time. According to KSHB Kansas City , one infant was given 24 hours to live after the frightening HPeV3 diagnosis.
“Katie McClure’s son, Sean, was just 5 days old when he suddenly stopped breathing. McClure instructed her older son to call 911. Once Sean arrived to the emergency room at Children’s Mercy Hospital, doctors diagnosed Sean with HPeV3. The virus led to meningitis in her son’s brain. Days later, doctors told McClure her son wasn’t going to make it. He was having seizures constantly and required a feeding tube.”
Sean McClure is said to be doing much better, one month after the diagnosis. Doctors worry that the child may have suffered some brain damage, but they have positive news: They don’t believe that baby Sean is going to die anytime soon.
Doctors say that the virus can be caught easily. A breeding ground is said to be on public diaper changing tables. Doctors say to wipe down surfaces regularly to kill the germs; hand washing is also important. Babies who are breastfed gain more antibodies to help protect them against HPeV3.
Another disease making news this month is Ebola. As previously reported by The Inquisitr , doctors and researchers believe that the outbreak might have been started by a 2-year-old boy in Guinea . That young boy died in December.
[Photo courtesy of Oxford Mommy ]