Echovirus

Introduction

Mortality was higher in infants with severe hepatitis (83%) than in infants with infection of the central nervous system (19%) (Modlin, 1986)

Hosts

Human

Transmission / Exposure Route

Person-to-person; the fecal-oral route is the predominant mode, although transmission sometimes occurs via respiration of oral secretions such as saliva. Indirect transmission occurs through numerous routes, including via contaminated water, food, and fomites (inanimate objects). Contaminated swimming and wading pools can also transmit the virus.^[1]

Case Fatality Ratio

Deaths and other adverse consequences are rare and limited to patients with severe echovirus encephalitis or to persons with B cell-deficiency syndromes who develop persistent infection.^[2]
Mortality was higher in infants with severe hepatitis (83%) than in infants with infection of the central nervous system (19%).^[2]

Incubation Period

2 days and 2 weeks^[3]

Burden of Disease

Duration of infectiousness and disease

Symptomology

Latency

Asymptomatic Rates

Excretion Rates (see Exposure)

Immunity

Microbiology

A type of RNA virus that belongs to the genus Enterovirus of the Picornaviridae family

Enviromental Survival

Unusually stable to chemical and physical agents and to adverse pH conditions