It is the subject of particular attention because it circulates at the same time as the flu and Covid-19 and creates a viral “cocktail” which can quickly saturate medical practices.
High fever (39-40°C), sore throat, persistent cough and very contagious conjunctivitis. In young children, it can even cause gastroenteritis. No, we are not talking about Covid-19 or the flu virus but about another worrying virus. This virus is often described by doctors as more “virulent”. This medical term does not mean that the virus is more deadly, but that it is physically stronger.
Its strength lies in its ability to spread and cause persistent infectious outbreaks in schools, offices and transport. Unlike flu or Covid-19 viruses, which are surrounded by a fatty envelope easily destroyed by soap or hydroalcoholic gel, this virus is a “naked” virus. Its structure allows it to survive several days, even several weeks, on dry surfaces (door handles, screens, toys) and to resist conventional hydroalcoholic gels. It is therefore much more contagious.
This virus, worse than the flu, is the adenovirus. It was Dr Eric Sachinwalla, medical director at Jefferson Health (USA) who warned of an increase in infections caused by this virus. He is known to scientists and responsible for a large part of the consultations. This is not a “new” virus, but a family of extremely robust pathogens circulating throughout the world. In France, it is not currently dominant (flu and bronchiolitis take center stage with epidemic thresholds reached in all regions) but it is actively circulating as a “background noise”.
The main difficulty lies in the absence of specific treatment against this virus. While we have antivirals (like Tamiflu® or Paxlovid®) for influenza and Covid-19, there is no standard antiviral treatment for adenovirus. It heals spontaneously in the majority of cases in 1 to 2 weeks with plenty of rest, good hydration and taking paracetamol to relieve the fever.
For a healthy adult or child, the adenovirus is above all a bad time to go through, explains Dr Sachinwalla on Express.co. The immune system is perfectly capable of eliminating it without external help. Vigilance must simply be increased for people whose defenses are weakened and for whom medical advice remains essential in order to avoid excessive fatigue.
