Mary Wilson
Well-known member
17 May 2023
This Disease Outbreak News was first published on 16 May 2023 and later updated on 17 May 2023 to correct the number of cases, deaths, and the number of cases with PCR testing.
Situation at a glance
On 5 April 2023, the National IHR Focal Point for the United Kingdom informed WHO of an increase in severe myocarditis in neonates associated with enterovirus infection in Wales. Between June 2022 and April 2023, ten hospitalised neonates with a positive enterovirus Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test were found to have myocarditis. Seven of the ten cases had further subtyping, with either coxsackie B3 or coxsackie B4 identified. As of 5 May 2023, one patient was still hospitalised, and one had died.
Although enterovirus infections are common in neonates and young infants, the reported increase in myocarditis with severe outcomes in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual.
Description of the situation
On 5 April 2023, the National IHR Focal Point for the United Kingdom informed WHO of an increase in severe myocarditis in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection in Wales.
Between June 2022 and April 2023, ten neonates, under 28 days of age, presented with a picture consistent with myocarditis and a positive enterovirus PCR. Seven cases were treated in intensive care, and one case died before transfer to tertiary care. Cases presented with features of sepsis, myocarditis, or in cardiorespiratory arrest. The peak incidence of cases was in November 2022, with sporadic cases in other months.
Enterovirus PCR testing of all ten cases (with either blood, throat swab, nose swab, nasopharyngeal aspirate or cerebrospinal fluid samples) confirmed the presence of an enterovirus, subtyping (where available) to either coxsackie B3 or coxsackie B4.
Critical care support including intubation, ventilation and circulatory support was given to the patients who went to intensive care.
As of 5 May 2023, one patient was still hospitalised and one had died.
The reported increase in severe myocarditis in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual. In the tertiary hospital covering the South Wales region, two other similar cases have been identified in the 6 years prior to June 2022.
A further five cases have been identified over the same period in the Southwest of England. No additional information is currently available about these cases. Details of five of the cases from South Wales and three of the additional cases from Southwest England have recently been published (Ng et al., 2023). ...
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON465
This Disease Outbreak News was first published on 16 May 2023 and later updated on 17 May 2023 to correct the number of cases, deaths, and the number of cases with PCR testing.
Situation at a glance
On 5 April 2023, the National IHR Focal Point for the United Kingdom informed WHO of an increase in severe myocarditis in neonates associated with enterovirus infection in Wales. Between June 2022 and April 2023, ten hospitalised neonates with a positive enterovirus Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test were found to have myocarditis. Seven of the ten cases had further subtyping, with either coxsackie B3 or coxsackie B4 identified. As of 5 May 2023, one patient was still hospitalised, and one had died.
Although enterovirus infections are common in neonates and young infants, the reported increase in myocarditis with severe outcomes in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual.
Description of the situation
On 5 April 2023, the National IHR Focal Point for the United Kingdom informed WHO of an increase in severe myocarditis in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection in Wales.
Between June 2022 and April 2023, ten neonates, under 28 days of age, presented with a picture consistent with myocarditis and a positive enterovirus PCR. Seven cases were treated in intensive care, and one case died before transfer to tertiary care. Cases presented with features of sepsis, myocarditis, or in cardiorespiratory arrest. The peak incidence of cases was in November 2022, with sporadic cases in other months.
Enterovirus PCR testing of all ten cases (with either blood, throat swab, nose swab, nasopharyngeal aspirate or cerebrospinal fluid samples) confirmed the presence of an enterovirus, subtyping (where available) to either coxsackie B3 or coxsackie B4.
Critical care support including intubation, ventilation and circulatory support was given to the patients who went to intensive care.
As of 5 May 2023, one patient was still hospitalised and one had died.
The reported increase in severe myocarditis in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual. In the tertiary hospital covering the South Wales region, two other similar cases have been identified in the 6 years prior to June 2022.
A further five cases have been identified over the same period in the Southwest of England. No additional information is currently available about these cases. Details of five of the cases from South Wales and three of the additional cases from Southwest England have recently been published (Ng et al., 2023). ...
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON465