Introduction:

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a respiratory virus that primarily affects children and has been associated with sporadic outbreaks of respiratory tract disease worldwide. This study aimed to carry out a literature review considering several aspects involving EV-D68 infection: epidemiology, molecular evolution, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of this infection.

Methods:

Data from 976 whole genome sequences (WGS) of EV-D68 collected between September 1977 to September 2022 showed substitution rates of 4.06E10-3 nucleotides per site per year (s/s/y). Phylogenetic tree of EV-D68 by clades (A1, A2, B, B1, B2, B3, and C) was performed.

Results:

Literature reports that EV-D68 was discovered in 1962 after being isolated from respiratory specimens of children with pneumonia in the USA. However, in the recent molecular analysis from Nextstrain data, we observed that the time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of A1 was 2005-04-17 in the USA, A2 was 2003-12-23 in China, B was 2003-07-06 in China, B1 was 2010-03-21 in Vietnam, B2 was 2006-11-25 in Vietnam, B3 was 2011-01-15 in China, and C was 2000-06-27 in the USA. The immune response to EV-D68 involves both innate and adaptive immunity, with the production of neutralizing antibodies and activation of T cells playing crucial roles. Prevention strategies for EV-D68 include practicing good hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and avoiding close contact with infected individuals.

Conclusion:

EV-D68 was originated in Canada in 1995 and spread to Europe, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, and Africa.