A Different Epidemiology of Enterovirus A and Enterovirus B Co-circulating in Korea, 2012-2019

Enteroviruses (EVs) occur frequently worldwide and are known to be associated with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations from mild syndromes to neurological disease. To understand the epidemiology of EV in Korea, we characterized EV-infected cases during 2012-2019 based on national surveillance.

We collected specimens from patients with suspected EV infections and analyzed the data using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and VP1 gene sequencing.

Among the 18 261 specimens collected, EVs were detected in 6258 (34.3%) cases. Although the most common EV types changed annually, EV-A71, echovirus 30, coxsackievirus B5, coxsackievirus A6, and coxsackievirus A10 were commonly identified. Among the human EVs, the case numbers associated with the 2 major epidemic species (EV-A and EV-B) peaked in the summer. While EV-A species affected 1-year-old children and were associated with herpangina and hand, foot, and mouth disease, EV-B species were mostly associated with neurologic manifestations. The highest incidence of EV-B species was observed in infants aged <12 months. Feces and respiratory specimens were the most predictive of EV infection. Specimens collected within 5 days of symptom onset allowed for timely virus detection.

EV-A and EV-B species co-circulating in Korea presented different epidemiologic trends in clinical presentation, affected subjects, and seasonality trends. This study could provide information for the characterization of EVs circulating in Korea to aid the development of EV antivirals and vaccines, as well as public health measures to control enteroviral diseases.