As COVID-19 becomes a thing of the past, other respiratory illnesses and infections such as RSV, enterovirus, and others can make Americans sick.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a spring spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory infection related to RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It is spread by coughing, sneezing or touching surfaces containing infected respiratory droplets.
Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, says: “We’ve seen a ton of HMPV. Most cases are mild respiratory distress and lots of scarring.”
The CDC, however, has denied that HMPV will increase this summer, despite the increase in cases.
A CDC spokesperson said: “Current HMPV activity is not significant and the risk of HMPV spreading is low.”
What will come this summer?
Dr. Anthony K. Leung, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said: “You can never predict the future, but I would expect us to have a boring summer.”
Non-seasonal infections such as croup, strep A and RSV have been reported in children. It is a winter virus that infected humans during the summers of 2021 and 2022.
As summer travel has just begun, a few viral infections have raised concerns among healthcare professionals ahead of this year’s summer season.
What about covid cases?
Although it is not possible to track COVID-19 cases, some states have reported high levels of COVID in wastewater tests.
It is too early to predict the increase in cases but as people start gathering indoors in air-conditioned spaces, it is expected that cases may increase.
Jody Guest, a professor of epidemiology at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, noted: “Anytime you’re indoors together, like in the winter, and someone has it, it spreads very easily.”
The CDC maintains that hospitalizations from Covid have decreased since the beginning of the year.
Enterovirus
Enteroviruses include hand, foot and mouth disease and even the common summer cold, which find their way to others through coughing and sneezing.
They often cause symptoms such as rash, fever, loss of appetite and sore throat.
Dr. Amina Ahmed, chief of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, said: “This is the virus we expect to see in the summer.”
Enteroviruses, can sometimes be serious. For example, Enterovirus D68 has been linked to a polio-like condition in children called acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM. Children have unusual weakness in their arms or legs.
Cases were usually reported in late summer each year which would have increased in 2021 if Covid had not occurred.
According to Ahmed, it is unclear whether the virus will resume its old patterns.
The holiday bug, norovirus
Different bugs carry different diseases. As the pandemic halted all travel, doctors maintained that it could also lead to an increase in travel-related illnesses.
“Always remember that there are some unusual and unexpected things out there. Be careful.” Leung said.
Noroviruses are sometimes associated with cruises where patients may vomit and suffer from diarrhea. These illnesses are also spread in a similar pattern through close contact.
However, not all summer diseases are spread from person to person.
Dr. Michael Angarone, an infectious disease specialist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, says: “From spring to late summer and early fall, the infections we worry about are often related to exposure to various insects.”
In tropical climates, diseases like West Nile, dengue and malaria are likely.
The CDC warns that the number of tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis, which is spreading in the Northeast, is increasing every year in the United States. Its symptoms include:
- fever
- cold
- Headache and body aches
- nausea
- Muscle and joint pain
Angarone says: “If you’re planning to go out in nature, make sure you protect yourself from ticks and mosquitoes by using repellent, long pants and long-sleeved shirts.”
“The sooner you find the tick and get it off, the less likely you are to get an infection.”
Mpox
“The incidence of empox is predicted to increase slightly during the summer,” said Dr. Michael Sugg, associate dean of global health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
It spreads through close contact with others.
“Mpox is not seasonal. It’s really about the way people are grouped together. That’s something we want to look at and be really clear about vaccinating people,” said Jodi Guest.
Where we collect the information from Source link
Disclaimer:- We include in each post a link to where each content on our website is collected from.If there is a complaint against any post please contact us directly.
Email: post-support.dailyfastnews24.com
You can also write on the popular online news portal dailyfastnews24.com. Writing topics feature, travel, lifestyle, career, IT, agriculture and nature. Send your entry today to [email protected]
advertisement:-If you would like to advertise on our website please contact us here.Our Ads team will contact you very soon.
Email: [email protected]
The cost of advertising:- 1 Post 100 USD Lifetime.
Thank you very much for visiting our website. Have a good day.