CDC alerts clinicians to parechovirus in infants

Multiple states have reported parechovirus (PeV) cases in newborns and young infants since May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted clinicians and public health departments yesterday. A common infection, PeV has been known to circulate in summer and fall and follow a cyclical pattern, peaking every two to four years. CDC advised clinicians to test for PeV in children with fever, sepsis-like syndrome or neurologic illness. All cases tested to date were PeV-A3, which can cause severe disease.