This infectious disease is still spreading! Be careful when you go swimming or playing in the water!

Where are the most crowded places in summer?

That must be swimming pools and water parks in various places

The place originally used for playing in the water

Being squeezed into a bathhouse

It's hard to say that a day spent in public waters

Happy or annoyed?

But I want to remind you

In such a crowded place

Be careful about "swimming pool disease"

In other words, they are infected with adenovirus.

Especially the little ones

I've been in a particularly bad situation recently.

The most important issues regarding adenovirus

I have sorted it out for you today.

There is more than one type of adenovirus, and the symptoms they cause are also different, which can be roughly divided into three types:

Respiratory symptoms: fever, runny nose, cough, pharyngitis, etc. are the most common symptoms of adenovirus;

Gastrointestinal symptoms: abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting;

Pharyngoconjunctival fever: Symptoms of conjunctivitis (eye discomfort, redness and congestion) appear, accompanied by fever and sore throat.

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In fact, adenovirus is very common, and there are news reports about it almost every year. Sometimes when a child suddenly has a fever or coughs , it may be adenovirus.

About 5%-10% of fever and cough in infants and young children are caused by adenovirus.

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Most people have had an adenovirus infection as a child, but you may not have had symptoms or may have mistaken it for a common cold.

After all, a considerable number of children infected with adenovirus also have symptoms such as fever, cough, and runny nose. If they don't get checked, who would know that it is an adenovirus infection?

Children are indeed more likely to be infected with adenovirus because their immune function has not yet fully developed, but this does not mean that adults will not be infected.

Adenovirus infection is related to the host's immune function. People with low immune function and the elderly may still be infected with adenovirus.

The symptoms in adults are generally acute upper respiratory tract infection and conjunctivitis, but severe manifestations involving internal organs due to low immune function cannot be ruled out.

There are many ways for adenovirus to be transmitted, including droplet transmission, contact transmission, fecal-oral transmission , etc.

Without protection, it is very easy to be infected with adenovirus by talking or having close contact with an infected person.

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In addition, adenoviruses can exist in water and can survive for a long time on environmental surfaces. Places like swimming pools are a natural breeding ground for adenoviruses.

Once a virus carrier enters a swimming pool, the pool water may spread the virus to others.

Therefore, many news reports have mentioned that cluster transmission may occur in swimming pools, and a group of people may be affected at once.

Adenovirus itself has a certain degree of self-limitation, and in most cases patients can recover on their own.

If the symptoms are mild, it is okay to rest and observe at home. You will recover in about two weeks.

However, if the condition is more serious, with symptoms such as persistent high fever, ear pain (otitis media), rapid breathing, flaring nostrils, sternum retraction when breathing, wheezing or breath holding, cyanosis of the lips and nail beds (pneumonia, respiratory failure), irritability and drowsiness (neurological symptoms), vomiting and diarrhea (digestive system symptoms), pale complexion (circulatory system symptoms), and rash, these symptoms indicate severe infection and require timely hospitalization for observation and treatment.

If the patient has immunosuppression or deficiency, or needs to use immunosuppressants for a long time due to underlying diseases , especially children, it is still recommended to seek medical attention in time even if the above symptoms are not present.

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There is no specific medicine for adenovirus treatment itself. It can only treat the symptoms and improve them. Therefore, if treatment is delayed after the condition worsens, it may delay the disease and make treatment more difficult.

Can't!

As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of adenovirus infection are not that special, similar to colds and diarrhea, so it is not reliable to judge on your own.

The best way to judge is to seek medical attention when symptoms are severe and conduct appropriate pathogen tests.

Everyone should be familiar with the most common way to detect adenovirus, which is nucleic acid testing.

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In addition, depending on the situation, detection can also be carried out through adenovirus-specific antigen detection, adenovirus culture, virus isolation and other methods.

How to prevent adenovirus infection? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands; and avoid close contact with sick people.

In short, although the swimming pool is a good place, for children, people with weakened immune systems and other susceptible groups, they should choose carefully and try not to join the crowd.

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Zhou Hao, Jia Xiaoyun, Gong Peihui, et al. Analysis of risk factors and construction of prediction model for severe adenovirus pneumonia in children[J]. Journal of Medical Research, 2024, 53(04): 133-137.

[2] Liu Jie, Deng Zhihong, Luo Wanjun, et al. Clinical characteristics of adenovirus and influenza virus infection in children[J]. Chinese Journal of Hospital Infection, 2023, 33(01): 157-160.

[3] Liu Jie, Deng Zhihong, Luo Wanjun, et al. Clinical characteristics of adenovirus and influenza virus infection in children[J]. Chinese Journal of Hospital Infection, 2023, 33(01): 157-160.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty