Expert: Indonesia Has History Of Enterovirus 71

Health science expert and Post-Sarjana Director of YARSI University Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama. (ANTARA/HO-YARSI)

JAKARTA - Director of Postgraduates at YARSI University, Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said that Indonesia had a history of developing a disease caused by Enterovirus type 71 or known as EV-71. “Actually the cause of Hand Foot Mouth Disease -HFMD is entertainment in general, including the coxsackievirus A16, EV 71 and echovirus. In very rare events, HFMD due to EV 71 can also cause meningitis and even encephalitis,” said Prof. Tjandra in Jakarta, Wednesday. Prof. Tjandra said the EV-71 detected in Indonesia had caused an argument (Hand Foot Mouth Disease/HFMD). HFMD disease is characterized by fever; the appearance of a rash on the skin (rash) and a small bump (blister) on the soles of the feet, hands and mouth mucose, patients tend to have no appetite until malaise and soreness in the throat. Usually, after a day or two after a fever, complaints of mouth pain arise starting from a liter until it can then become mucus. Lesions can occur in the tongue, gums or other mouth parts. The former Director of Infectious Diseases of WHO Southeast Asia explained that in general, HFMD is not a serious disease. Patients can recover within seven to 10 days, even though the treatment is only supportive. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) of the European regional office reported an increase in cases of Enterovirus 11 (Echovirus-11) in the local area. Nine cases of neonatal sepsis with liver damage (hepatitis impairment) and multi-organ failure have been found in France. Seven of the nine cases were declared dead. WHO also reported that a similar case occurred in Croatia in one case, Italy in seven cases, Spain in two cases, Sweden in five cases and the UK in two cases. Prof. Tjandra said the current condition that is causing an increase in cases in Europe is infection from the Echovirus-11, a type of positive-strand RNA from the Picornaviridae family. He explained that as with most of the entertainment, infections due to E-11 can vary in shape, from mild ones such as redness and fever skin, and perhaps to severe ones in the form of nervous system disorders, including meningitis, encephalitis and paralysis (Acute flaccid paralysis/AFP).

“Echovirus-11 is also reported to cause severe illness in neonates and babies, with morbidity and mortality, as is now happening in Europe and we need to pay close attention to. Its shape can be in the form of severe inflammation of neonates (newborn babies), including heavy acute hepatitis with coagulopathy. E-11 can also be transmitted from mother to child,” he said.