What Is Coxsackievirus?
The unusual name of Coxsackievirus may sound unfamiliar, but this pathogen is responsible for one of the most common diseases of childhood: hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Thousands of children each year contract this illness, and it is especially prevalent in daycare centers. It is also the culprit in rarer and more serious infections of the heart and brain. It has even been implicated in Type 1 diabetes.
Coxsackievirus is a retrovirus, like the now-familiar coronavirus and HIV, and is classified in the same genus as polio. Could it be just as dangerous as these other viruses? The following 10 facts will explain how viruses spread and make you sick, name some common and rare diseases caused by the Coxsackievirus, and tell you which one has reached pandemic status.
