Related Experiment Videos
Molecular classification of enteroviruses not identified by neutralization tests
Hideyuki Kubo1, Nobuhiro Iritani, Yoshiyuki Seto
1Osaka City Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, 8-34 Tojo-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0026, Japan. kubo@iphes.city.osaka.jp
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|April 3, 2002
Summary
Researchers identified three echovirus type 18 (EV18) and three human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) strains from patients with meningitis or hand, foot, and mouth disease. Phylogenetic analysis proved more effective than neutralization tests for enterovirus serotype identification.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Enteroviruses are a common cause of viral meningitis and hand, foot, and mouth disease.
- Accurate identification of enterovirus serotypes is crucial for epidemiological surveillance and vaccine development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize six newly isolated viruses with enterovirus-like cytopathic effects.
- To determine the utility of phylogenetic analysis of VP4 gene sequences for enterovirus serotyping.
Main Methods:
- Viral isolation from patient samples.
- Cell culture and observation of cytopathic effects.
- Viral neutralization tests against standard antisera.
- Phylogenetic analysis of complete VP4 nucleotide sequences.
- Remicroneutralization tests with HEV-monospecific antisera.
Main Results:
- Six viruses were isolated, exhibiting cytopathic effects similar to enteroviruses but negative neutralization test results.
- Phylogenetic analysis classified three viruses as echovirus type 18 (EV18) and three as human enterovirus 71 (HEV71).
- Results were confirmed by remicroneutralization and additional phylogenetic analysis.
Conclusions:
- Phylogenetic analysis of complete VP4 genes is a reliable method for identifying enterovirus serotypes.
- This method is more effective than traditional neutralization tests for enterovirus serotyping.