Severe Disease in Children with Parechovirus-A Infection

Purpose of Review Parechovirus-A (PeV-A) is an important emerging virus. Clinical manifestations of pediatric PeV-A infection vary by genotype and range from mild acute illness to severe disease. This review discusses the global epidemiological profile of pediatric PeV-A infection and the relationship of PeV-A genotype to severe disease in neonates and young infants. Recent Findings In neonates and young infants the most important PeV-A3–associated conditions are sepsis and meningoencephalitis, which have been reported in many countries. The high morbidity of encephalitis due to PeV-A3 is a serious concern. Although rare, severe PeV-A–associated diseases due to other genotypes have also been reported in children. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 significantly affected PeV-A3 detection. Summary PeV-A, especially PeV-A3, is an important emerging virus that causes severe disease in children. PeV-A genotyping will improve our understanding of the epidemiology of PeV-A and the relationship of PeV-A genotype with severe disease. Specific antiviral therapies are needed to treat severe diseases caused by PeV-A.