Enteroviruses in newborns are common and usually mild, but they can cause serious illness in the first weeks of life. According to the report published by Santé publique France, the French public health agency, on 30 July 2026, 249 neonatal enterovirus infections were reported in France in 2025, including 19 severe cases and one death. These viruses circulate mainly from May into autumn, and hand hygiene remains the first line of protection.
This annual report, produced with the French National Reference Centre for enteroviruses and parechoviruses, reviews 2025 and the first months of 2026. Here is what to take from it when you have a baby, and what should prompt you to see a doctor.
Enterovirus in newborns: what the 2025 report says
In total, 1,541 enterovirus infections were reported in France in 2025. That is less than half the 2024 figure, a year marked by a large summer epidemic followed by an autumn wave of enterovirus D68.
Newborns account for a stable share of these infections. In 2025, 249 neonatal cases were reported, or 16.2% of the total. In 2024 there were 494, or 13%. The proportion has therefore stayed close to that of previous years, with the exception of 2022, when it reached 25.7%.
Of these 249 newborns, 19 had a severe infection, or 7.6%. Most often this meant acute respiratory failure, in 8 cases, and failure of several organs, in 4 cases. One newborn died.
Which viruses were involved?
Severe neonatal cases were mostly linked to coxsackievirus B, particularly type B1. These viruses were found in all newborns with liver involvement, myocarditis or multiple organ failure. An echovirus 11, related to the 2022-2023 strains, was also detected in three newborns.
This is worth noting. Between April 2022 and April 2023, a new variant of echovirus 11 caused severe neonatal infections with serious liver damage, which led to a health alert. Santé publique France states that this episode has not recurred since.
What are enteroviruses?
Enteroviruses are a large family of very widespread viruses. They include coxsackieviruses, echoviruses and numbered types such as EV-A71 or EV-D68. They mainly affect children.
Most infections go unnoticed or stay mild. Even so, enteroviruses are the leading cause of viral meningitis. They can also cause hand, foot and mouth disease, feverish illness in young babies, breathing problems and, more rarely, heart or neurological complications.
How are they spread?
According to Santé publique France, transmission happens from person to person or through contaminated objects and food. The virus is shed from the nose and throat, and also in stools. Saliva, contact with skin lesions and transmission from mother to unborn baby are other possible routes.
For a newborn, the people closest to them are therefore the main source of exposure. A brother or sister who goes to nursery, an adult with a cold or a nappy change without proper handwashing afterwards is enough to spread the virus.
When do enteroviruses circulate?
In mainland France, enteroviruses surge between late spring and autumn. Cases of meningitis rise from May, with a usual summer peak in July and a smaller autumn peak.
As of 22 June 2026, provisional data showed 57 neonatal infections, or 15.6% of reported infections. Echovirus 11 was the most frequently identified type, with no associated rise in severe cases. A severe coxsackievirus B1 infection was reported in a 4-day-old newborn.
The bulletin also notes greater circulation of EV-A71 than in 2025, with no increase in severe neurological cases. Health authorities are monitoring the situation closely.
Baby has a fever: when should you worry about an enterovirus?
In a baby under three months old, any fever needs prompt medical advice, whatever the cause. It is the rule we explain in our article on fever in babies. You cannot spot an enterovirus with the naked eye: only a doctor can assess the situation.
Santé publique France reminds parents that any fever with neurological signs should raise suspicion of meningitis and calls for a medical consultation. In young babies, these signs can be subtle: unusual drowsiness, difficulty feeding, unusual crying, a bulging fontanelle, seizures. A baby who is struggling to breathe, or who turns pale or mottled, also needs urgent care.
For an older child, fever is managed according to the usual rules. Our article on paracetamol doses calculated by weight sets out the official guidelines.
How can you protect a newborn from enteroviruses?
No vaccine against these enteroviruses is available in France. Prevention therefore relies on hygiene, which Santé publique France describes as essential during the circulation period. This applies especially to pregnant women and vulnerable people.
- Wash your hands with soap before looking after your baby, after every nappy change and after blowing your nose.
- Limit close contact with people who are ill during the first few weeks.
- Avoid kissing your newborn’s face when you have a cold or a fever.
- Regularly clean changing surfaces and anything that goes in the mouth.
- Teach older siblings to wash their hands when they come home from nursery or school.
That last point is often the most effective. Our article on teaching children to wash their hands offers tips to turn it into a habit. When it is a parent who is ill, the steps to take are set out in our article on being ill with a baby.
What about hand, foot and mouth disease?
Hand, foot and mouth disease is one of the most visible forms of enterovirus infection in young children. In 2025, the network of community paediatricians that monitors it recorded 2,079 cases, compared with 3,015 in 2024. Coxsackievirus A6 was the most common. It mainly affects children at nursery and school, which makes it a possible route to a newborn sibling. The practical questions these infections raise are covered in our article on a sick baby at nursery.
Key takeaways
- In 2025, 249 newborns had an enterovirus infection in France, including 19 severe cases and one death.
- Severe neonatal cases are mainly linked to coxsackievirus B.
- Enteroviruses circulate mainly from May into autumn and spread through saliva, the nose, the throat and stools.
- Under three months, any fever needs prompt medical advice.
- Handwashing, at nappy changes and when coming home from nursery, remains the best protection.
Sources
- Santé publique France and CNR des entérovirus et parechovirus, ‘Bilan annuel 2025 des infections à entérovirus et bilan provisoire 2026’, national bulletin published on 30 July 2026.
