An electron microscopical investigation of faecal small round viruses

A retrospective study of small round featureless viruses (SRVs) initially identified by negative-staining electron microscopy of stool samples was performed. A variety of technique, including immunoelectron microscopy and caesium chloride gradient centrifugation, was applied in an attempt to classify further these viruses. Over a four-year period, 64 SRV-positive samples were reported (1.8% of the stool samples sent for electron microscopy and 6.2% of the total number of positive samples), of which 53 were available for further study. A significant degree of misclassification was found. Viruses previously identified as SRVs were shown to be astrovirus (n = 14), calicivirus (n = 2), and "Norwalk-like" virus (n = 1). The majority of the 36 remaining samples were identified as parvovirus-like (n = 27) (75%), 14 of which were associated with the presence of adenovirus particles. Enteroviruses (n = 3) and hepatitis A virus (n = 1) were infrequently detected. The remaining viruses (n = 5) could not be adequately classified. Parvovirus may be the predominant SRV associated with acute diarrhoeal disease in childhood.