ABSTRACT
Enteroviruses (EVs) are among the most common viruses infecting humans. One-third of EV infections affect children under 1 year of age. Neonatal EV infections lead to a wide range of clinical manifestations, from mild febrile illness to severe, potentially fatal sepsis-like conditions with multiorgan failure. EV detections by serotype are reported by the National Reference Centre for EV Infections Lyon on a monthly basis. Demographic, clinical, and biological data were also collected in neonates hospitalized in 2012 for EV infection. Two subgroups were identified according to the beginning of symptoms: until 8 days of life (D8) or strictly after D8. There were 120 neonatal EV infections. Before D8, children with severe infection were born more prematurely with a low birth weight. The EVs most commonly detected in neonates were CV-B4 and E-11. Risk factors for severe EV infections included liver (73% before D8) and hematological damage (thrombocytopenia, 82%; coagulopathy, 64% before D8). This study suggests that systematic serotyping of neonatal EV infections and biological monitoring of liver function could be useful for early identification of children at high risk of clinical severity and fatality.
