TOPICS

Hand, foot, and mouth disease caused by enterovirus 71 was a major pandemic in 2023. Hand, foot, and mouth disease caused by coxsackievirus A16 and A6 exploded in 2024 in a year long epidemic. Herpangina caused by coxsackievirus A6 repeated the pattern of epidemics mainly in summer in both 2023 and 2024. Enterovirus 68, which causes lower respiratory tract infection and acute flaccid paralysis, was quite prevalent last fall. Echovirus 11, a major cause of aseptic meningitis, created a large epidemic pileup last fall and winter. Adenoviruses 1, 2, and 5, which cause pharyngoconjunctival fever, became long-lasting epidemics in 2023 and 2024. Adenovirus 41, which causes infectious gastroenteritis, sustained sporadic outbreaks in the second half of last year and the first half of this year. Rhinovirus, the most common cause of nasal flu, remained quite prevalent until May this year. Metapneumovirus was also prevalent in May this year.
These viruses, whose transmission cycle had been interrupted during the coronavirus epidemic, are now disappearing like a tide that is now receding, with a simultaneous increase in supply from 2023 to 2024.
The parainfluenza viruses 1 and 3 have emerged after a long time in that trough; 1 is primarily responsible for upper respiratory tract infections and 3 for lower respiratory tract infections.