infections
Overview of Enterovirus Infections
Introduction
Enteroviruses are a group of viruses. Enterovirus infections affect many parts of the body and may be caused by any of several different viral strains. Enterovirus infections may be caused by different strains in this group of viruses. Symptoms of enterovirus infections include fever, headache, respiratory illness, and sore throat and sometimes mouth sores or a rash. Doctors base the diagnosis on symptoms and on examination of the skin and mouth. Treatment of enterovirus infections is aimed at relieving symptoms. The enteroviruses include numerous strains of coxsackievirus, echovirus, enterovirus, and poliovirus. These viruses are responsible for illness in 10 to 30 million people each year in the United States, primarily in the summer and fall. Infections are highly contagious and typically affect many people in a community, sometimes causing epidemics. Enteroviral infections are most common among children. 