Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Respiratory Viruses May Hang Around With Persistent Symptoms

Some respiratory viral infections can be followed by weeks of persistent respiratory, cardiovascular, and functional symptoms, according to an analysis published in Respirology. The review, which included 13 studies involving 631,863 participants, found that influenza had the strongest evidence for long-term effects. In one cohort, 23% of adults reported persistent symptoms 12 weeks after influenza, while a separate claims study found 10% of patients remained symptomatic at 6 months. Postacute complications varied by virus, and …

Wastewater Data Warns of Possible AFM Cases, Paralysis in Children

A nonprofit wastewater monitoring network has found that enterovirus D68, a respiratory virus that can cause paralysis in children, is spreading across the United States. In rare cases, D68 has been linked to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) , a polio-like illness causing severe weakness in the arms and legs. Historically, September is the typical month for seeing AFM cases, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins told NBC News. While enterovirus is common, the D68 strain first …

Simple Saline Drops Might Help Kids’ Colds

New research suggests that saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by 2 days, according to a press release from the European Respiratory Society. The trial included 407 children up to 6 years old who were either given hypertonic saline nasal drops or usual care when they developed a cold. Parents were instructed to apply 3 saline drops per nostril, a minimum of 4 times per day, until the …

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