What are adenoviruses, what are the symptoms, are they contagious and can you die from them?
The type of infection usually affects one age group
ADENOVIRUSES are "particularly aggressive" viruses that can be hard to shake off.
The type of infection usually affects one age group. Here's what you need to know.
What are adenoviruses?
Adenoviruses are a group of viruses that typically cause respiratory illnesses, such as a common cold, conjunctivitis, croup, bronchitis, or pneumonia.
The viruses infect the lining of your eyes, airways, lungs, intestines, urinary tract and nervous system.
Infections usually affect children, but anyone can get them.
Common symptoms include coughs, sore throats, diarrhoea, pink eyes and a fever.
But each symptom can affect people different. Some people suffering from pink eye may get discharge from their eyes, while others will cry.
Are they contagious?
Adenovirus is extremely contagious.
It spreads via coughing, sneezing, having direct contact with an infected person or the infected object.
People with weakened immune systems are most at risk of catching it.
Objects such as door handles are usually prone to being covered in its bacteria.
The virus has gained a very bad reputation because it is not a seasonal infection, it spreads throughout the year.
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Can you die from them?
Adenovirus does not usually kill.
If a child is infected, treatment is supportive and is focused on relieving the symptoms associated with the infection.
Because the infection is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not effective.
Strict hand-washing is important to prevent the spread of adenoviruses to other infants, children, and adults.
On October 23, six children died at a New Jersey healthcare facility.
Dr William Schaffner, an infectious disease professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, said these kinds of fatalities are not common, but they're known to happen.
He said: "Here I think you have this kind of nasty combination of very fragile children and this particularly aggressive virus."