ECHO virus

• Alternative Names

  Nonpolio enterovirus infection

• Causes, incidence, and risk factors

  ECHO virus infections are common.

  Serious infections with ECHO viruses are less common, but can be significant. As many as one out of five cases of the brain infection aseptic meningitis is thought to be caused by an ECHO virus.

• Symptoms

  ECHO viruses cause a wide variety of conditions. Symptoms depend on the type of disease:

  • Aseptic meningitis
  • Croup
  • Encephalitis
  • Mouth sores (herpangina)
  • Myocarditis
  • Pericarditis
  • Pneumonia
  • Skin rashes
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Viral pharyngitis
• Signs and tests

  ECHO virus can be identified from:

  • Rectal culture
  • Spinal fluid culture
  • Stool culture
  • Throat culture
• Treatment

  ECHO virus infections tend to clear up on their own. No specific antiviral medications are available.

  An immune booster called IVIG may help patients with severe ECHO virus infections who have a compromised immune system.

• Expectations (prognosis)

  Complete recovery without treatment is expected in patients who have the less severe types of illness. Infections of organs such as the heart (pericarditis and myocarditis) may cause severe disease and can be fatal.

• Complications

  Complications vary with the site and type of infection. Myocarditis and pericarditis may be fatal while other types of infection improve on their own.

• Calling your health care provider

  Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of any of the diseases listed above.

• Prevention

  No specific preventive measures are available for ECHO virus infections other than hand-washing, especially when you are in contact with sick people. Currently, no vaccines are available.

• References

  Modin JF. Coxsackieviruses, echoviruses, and newer enteroviruses. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005: chap 169.

  Abzug MJ. Nonpolio enteroviruses. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 247.

Review Date: 9/28/2008

Reviewed By: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.