Enhanced laboratory surveillance of respiratory infection disclosed the rapid rise of enterovirus D68 cases, northern Italy, August to September 2024

• Published in: Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles Vol. 29; no. 41; p. 1
• Main Authors: Pariani, Elena, Piralla, Antonio, Pellegrinelli, Laura, Giardina, Federica, Porrello, Vincenzo Navobi, Romano, Greta, Galli, Cristina, Sandri, Laura, Ferrari, Guglielmo, Binda, Sandro, Vezzosi, Luigi, Del Castillo, Gabriele, Buoro, Sabrina, Cereda, Danilo, Baldanti, Fausto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Centre Europeen pour la Surveillance Epidemiologique du SIDA (European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS) 10-10-2024; European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; Disease Outbreaks; Enterovirus D, Human - genetics; Enterovirus D, Human - isolation & purification; Enterovirus Infections - diagnosis; Enterovirus Infections - epidemiology; Enterovirus Infections - virology; Female; Health surveillance; Humans; Infant; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Phylogeny; Population Surveillance; Rapid Communication; Respiratory distress syndrome; Respiratory Tract Infections - diagnosis; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - virology; Viral infections; Young Adult; Italy; Enterovirus D68; Enterovirus; laboratory surveillance; influenza-like illness surveillance; respiratory infections
• ISSN: 1560-7917; 1025-496X; 1560-7917
• DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.41.2400645

We report a considerable increase in enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) cases since July 2024, culminating in an ongoing outbreak of acute respiratory infections in northern Italy, accounting for nearly 90% of all enterovirus infections. The outbreak was identified by community- and hospital-based surveillance systems, detecting EV-D68 in individuals with mild-to-severe respiratory infections. These strains belonged to B3 and a divergent A2 lineage. An increase in adult cases was observed. Enhanced surveillance and molecular characterisation of EV-D68 across Europe are needed.