[Enterovirus determination in cases with a diagnosis of the Guillain-Barré syndrome by using the acid-concentration...

The purpose of this work was to detect enteroviruses in feces by an acid concentration technique (ACT). Fifty-eight samples from children less than 5 years age with diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) were analyzed using the routine technique and ACT. Nine positive samples with the routine technique were used as controls. Nine control samples and 22 additional (31 cases) non-polio enteroviruses were isolated and identified with the ACT (53%). Thus, 38% more isolates were obtained by ACT. Isolation was more successful in the RD cellular line (59%) than in Hep-2c (41%). In most cases most titers (71%) obtained were low. ACT improved the detection of enteroviruses but because it is very expensive and laborious, it should be used in the case of laboratories that analyze multiple samples, for special cases such as with autopsy cases and when results are compatible to poliovirus using the routine technique and only in samples obtained during the first 15 days of symptomatology.