Isolation of Enterovirus in Patients with Aseptic Meningitis in Spring, 1996

Park, So Mee; Ryu, Jeong Woo; Kim, Dong Soo; Yun, Jae Deuk; Lee, Hong Rae; Kim, Ki Soon; Bae, You Byung

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Aseptic meningitis is an acute viral infection of the central nervous system that occurs commonly in childhood. Although the etiologic agent is not always identified, the human enteroviruses are responsible for most cases of aseptic meningitis in which a cause can be identified. Enterovirus causes approximately 80% of all cases of aseptic meningitis. In 1993, there was a nationwide epidemic of aseptic meningitis by echovirus 9 and 30. We reported that the cause of aseptic meningitis in 1994 was echovirus 3 and coxsackievirus B3 and echovirus 7 in 1995. This study was done to detect the causative agent of aseptic meningitis in spring, 1996.
METHODS
To isolate the causative viruses, stool and cerebrospinal fluid specimens from the patients with aseptic meningitis, who were admitted to Severance Hospital in 1996, were collected. Cultured RD cells and HEp-2 cells were inoculated with specimens to see the cytopathic effects. Neutralizing antibody tests using enterovirus serum pool were done on the specimens with the cytopathic effects. RNA was isolated from the cultured supernatants of the infected cells. Oligonucleotide was synthesized by PCR, which was run on polyacrylamide gel after purification with HPLC. After running the DNA produced by using Geneamp RNA PCR kit, electrophoresis was done.
RESULTS
Enteroviruses were isolated from 14 out of 17 patients. Among these fourteen, Coxsackievirus B1 was isolated in 13 patients and poliovirus in one patient. PCR product from these viruses showed a 152bp band on electrophoresis.
CONCLUSION
The causative virus of aseptic meningitis in patients who were admitted to Severance Hospital during the spring season of 1996 was Coxsackievirus B1.