Coxsackie virus: symptoms, how to treat and who can get sick

Russians vacationing in Turkey were confronted with the Coxsackie virus in early June 2025. This was reported by epidemiologist, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Onishchenko. In November last year, an outbreak of the virus was recorded in several regions of Russia. Presumably, she was brought from Belek, Turkey, while most of the tourists fell ill upon their return to Russia. How to recognize and treat an infection is described in the Izvestia article.

Coxsackie virus outbreak: where it was recorded

Russians vacationing in Turkey have already encountered the Coxsackie virus, said Gennady Onishchenko, an epidemiologist and academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Dissuading our citizens from traveling to Turkey, I will say that, despite the fact that our vacation period is just beginning, we are faced with the fact that our vacationers in Turkey have already encountered Coxsackie's disease. This is a viral disease that is transmitted through alimentary means, that is, through water, through food, through dirty hands," he said at a briefing titled "Tiger mosquitoes and the invasion of ticks: what diseases should you be afraid of on vacation this summer?"

Coxsackie outbreak in Russia in 2024

In November 2024, Russians complained about an outbreak of the Coxsackie virus in kindergartens and schools. As reported, the infection could have been brought by tourists from Turkey, where dozens of people in Belek contracted an unknown virus. The sick adults and children went to a local hospital with a temperature above 39, which was almost not disturbed by pills and suspensions. Only ivs helped them.

Doctors claimed that the symptoms were similar to the Coxsackie virus. In Russia, complaints about the outbreak of the virus were received from the Moscow region, as well as from the Krasnodar Territory, while earlier information about the disease in the Vladimir region was denied by the Russian Health Ministry.

Rospotrebnadzor recalled the importance of prevention. To avoid infection, it is necessary to wash your hands thoroughly, use only bottled or boiled water for drinking, and avoid contact with people with signs of respiratory and intestinal infections.

What is the danger of the Coxsackie virus?

Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, Candidate of Medical Sciences, expert doctor at the Hemotest laboratory, explains to Izvestia that the Coxsackie virus belongs to the enterovirus family. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, as well as through contaminated food, water, hands or surfaces. It is commonly referred to as "summer" diseases, because they are most often infected in the warmer months, often at resorts.

— This is due to the accumulation of people, disregard for hygiene rules, a large number of fruits and vegetables that are not always washed efficiently, as well as the use of non-drinking water.

It is believed that the virus is "imported" from Turkey, but now it is found everywhere. You can get sick without going anywhere," says the doctor.

The disease is most dangerous for children under 10 years of age and the elderly: it is more severe for them and may be accompanied by the development of complications. However, in most cases, the disease goes away without a trace on its own and does not pose a great danger to health.

Coxsackie virus: symptoms, how to treat

Infectious disease specialist Evgeny Timakov told Izvestia that the first symptom of the Coxsackie virus can be a very high, steady temperature, since when the virus enters the bloodstream, the body is severely intoxicated. It is accompanied by herpangina, including sore throat and sores, as well as muscle pain and rashes on the arms and legs.

Patients also suffer from intestinal syndrome — abdominal pain, nausea and digestive disorders. Concomitant symptoms are also common: enlarged lymph nodes, lacrimation and purulent discharge from the eyes.

At the same time, there are several forms of this viral infection — by type of flu, in exanthematous form, in the form of sore throat, hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, intestinal form, and even by type of polio and meningitis.

The clinical manifestation also depends on the form of the viral lesion.

The infectious disease specialist clarified that if at the first stage the body cannot cope with the virus, then Coxsackie can develop and, depending on its group, cause various complications. "Therefore, when a person gets sick with Coxsackie, it is necessary to consult doctors, prevent complications or monitor the patient after the disease. The complication can develop within two weeks," Timakov added.

The Coxsackie virus mainly affects children under the age of 15. At the same time, half of the patients carry the virus asymptomatically.

The doctor also noted that the incidence appears in the summer and early autumn periods. There is no permanent immunity after recovery.

As surgeon Alexander Umnov explained to Izvestia, the Coxsackie virus belongs to the group of enterovirus diseases and is transmitted by airborne droplets, contact, fecal-oral, and vertical (from mother to child) routes. The incubation period lasts six days.

"There is no treatment against the etiology, that is, the virus itself, the symptoms of the disease are treated. They prescribe antihistamines, antipyretics, sorbents, antiseptics, and correct water and electrolyte disorders," Umnov added.

As a rule, the disease recedes after 5-7 days.

An outbreak of an unknown virus in Turkey's Belek

It is believed that the virus was brought to Russia from Turkey, where an outbreak of an unknown virus was recently recorded in the city of Belek. However, local authorities were slow to acknowledge the problem. So, doctors from Antalya in a comment to RIA Novosti said that they "did not receive any signals of concern" from Russian tourists. On Saturday, November 2, Rospotrebnadzor requested information from the Turkish Ministry of Health in connection with emerging reports of complaints from Russian tourists.

Marina Mokieva, the mother of the sick girl, told Izvestia about one of the cases of infection with the Coxsackie virus in Belek.

According to the Russian woman, two days before the flight home, the child's temperature jumped to 38.5. She lasted a day, and the next day, rashes began to appear.

"They were such watery blisters, as if with a purulent crust," the woman said. The blisters were itchy, which was why the girl was constantly acting up.

In total, several dozen adults and children complained of similar symptoms at Belek Hospital. Some Russians fell ill upon returning to Russia, while others were overtaken by the virus on the plane.

How to protect yourself from the Coxsackie virus

According to Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, cases of the disease are recorded annually in Russia. To reduce the risk of infection, you should wash your hands thoroughly, especially after visiting public places, wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly, use only clean water, and avoid close contact with infected people. It is also important to strengthen the immune system (the risk of infection and the severity of the disease depend on this): eat a balanced diet, follow a sleep schedule, and spend more time outdoors.

— Those who have returned from Turkey or other vacation destinations are advised to take precautions: within two weeks, monitor for possible symptoms of infection (fever, rash, sore throat, fatigue). If symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment. It is better to limit contacts with others, especially with young children and people with weakened immune systems," the doctor advises.

At the same time, the need for quarantine for visitors from Turkey has not been established at the moment, concludes the interlocutor of Izvestia.