The First Deputy Chairman of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health Committee, Nurmat Atabekov, gave a detailed response.
— The reason for such naming of the virus is that it was first identified in the city of Coxsackie, USA, and it belongs to the family of enteroviruses, — says the specialist. — There are more than 70 types of it, primarily types A and B occur.
The disease mostly occurs in children. Specifically, the population layer prone to it consists of boys and girls aged 3-10 years. Adults getting sick is a very rare occurrence.
Therefore, one might observe clinical signs typical for children. That is, the disease begins with a sharp rise in body temperature (up to 39-40 degrees), headache, insomnia, weakness, and after 2-4 days, the fever gradually begins to decrease.
Also, common cold symptoms, some intestinal disturbances, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc., may be observed.
When infected with the Coxsackie virus, various rashes appear on the front part of children's hands and feet and on the mucous membrane of the mouth. In some cases, difficulty swallowing, small ulcers lead to throat pain characteristic of stomatitis. This leads to an increase in temperature and loss of appetite.
Sometimes in addition to the main symptoms, headache, enlargement of lymph nodes, etc., can also be observed.
The disease is primarily spread among children during the summer months when using open and public swimming facilities and through direct contact with sick individuals. The incubation period of the disease lasts from 2 to 10 days, and in some cases, it lasts from 2 to 5 days.
This disease-causing virus can be encountered anywhere in the world. It is occasionally documented in Uzbekistan as well.
- To date, the laboratories of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health Committee, as well as the Virology Research Institute, have not identified the Coxsackie virus.
Therefore, there is no basis for the opinion that this disease has spread widely in our country.
Importantly, there are specific treatment protocols for the Coxsackie virus, and the disease fully recovers without any complications.
Still, one should never self-prescribe antibacterial and antiviral drugs to the patient. Because these drugs do not affect the Coxsackie virus at all.
If a child develops clinical signs, and they are severe, then it is appropriate to seek medical attention and consider specific treatment measures, - says the statement given by the Ministry of Health Press Service.
