Comparative study of the antiviral activity of broad-spectrum and enterovirus-specific inhibitors against clinical isolates of enterovirus-D68

Enterovirus-D68 was isolated for the first time in California in 1962 in children with pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Until 2008, the detection of EV-D68 infections has been very rare. Since 2008 EV-D68 got increased attention with different clusters of infections detected worldwide. In a recent epidemic in the United States, 1.153 people were confirmed with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68, mostly children with asthma or a history of wheezing. The virus also has been associated occasionally with polio-like illness (muscle weakness or paralysis). Moreover, EV-D68 was detected in specimens from 14 patients who died. EV-D68 thus emerged as a considerable global health threat, requiring the development of effective antiviral treatment.