Management of the 2014 Enterovirus 68 Outbreak at a Pediatric Tertiary Care Center

Following the steps of outbreak management is critical to providing optimal patient care and ensuring the health of the public. During the 2014 EV-D68 outbreak, close adherence to outbreak principles led to swift recognition of illness, rapid diagnostic measures, institution of appropriate therapies, and dissemination of information to health care providers and the public. Equally important was the subsequent identification of an increase in acute flaccid myelitis cases against the backdrop of an increase in EV-D68 detections nationally. Future prospective studies are needed to determine the true burden of EV-D68 disease, potential vaccines and therapeutics, and outcomes of children with EV-D68 infection.