Many people with parechovirus don’t experience symptoms. In children 6 months to 5 years old, symptoms may include upper respiratory tract infection, fever and rash, and most children will have been infected by the virus by the time they start kindergarten. However, in infants less than 3 months, the virus can cause severe illness including sepsis-like illness, seizures and meningitis or meningoencephalitis, particularly in infants younger than one month.
Experts don’t know exactly how long it takes for symptoms to develop after coming into contact with the virus, but it’s thought to be between 3-10 days.
Serious signs to watch out for, especially in babies or toddlers, include:
- High fever
- Irritability
- Fast heart rate
- Fast breathing
- Diarrhea
- Drowsiness
- Seizures
- Widespread rash