Notes from the Field: Cluster of Parechovirus Central Nervous System Infections in Young Infants — Tennessee, 2022

Abstract

During April 12–May 24, 2022, 23 previously healthy infants aged 5 days–3 months were admitted to a Tennessee children’s hospital for human parechovirus (PeV) meningoencephalitis.* PeV is a nonenveloped RNA virus of the Picornaviridae family. PeV infections range from mild, self-limiting gastroenteritis to severe sepsis-like disease and central nervous system (CNS) infection, (1) and infants aged <3 months are disproportionately affected. PeV genotype 3 is responsible for the most severe cases, with a pattern of biannual cycle circulation that peaks during summer months (2,3). Although PeV infection is not a reportable disease, the Tennessee Department of Health was notified. An assessment of cases was conducted to better understand this unusually large cluster of infections