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Molecular Epidemiology of Enterovirus in Children with Central Nervous System Infections

Lamprini Posnakoglou1, Elizabeth-Barbara Tatsi1, Panagiota Chatzichristou1

  • 1First Department of Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy Research Laboratory, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, 11526 Athens, Greece.

Viruses
|January 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Molecular epidemiology of pediatric enterovirus (EV) central nervous system (CNS) infections in Greece revealed specific circulating genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis showed genetic differences in these prevalent EV strains compared to previously described isolates.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • Limited recent molecular epidemiology data exists for pediatric Central Nervous System (CNS) infections in Europe.
  • Enterovirus (EV) is a significant cause of CNS infections in children.
  • Understanding circulating EV genotypes is crucial for public health surveillance and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular epidemiology of enterovirus (EV) causing CNS infections in hospitalized children in Greece.
  • To identify predominant EV genotypes and analyze their phylogenetic characteristics.

Main Methods:

  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pharyngeal swabs, and stool samples were collected from children aged 0-16 years with suspected meningitis-encephalitis (ME).
  • Multiplex PCR (FilmArray® ME Panel) was used for initial pathogen detection.
  • EV-positive samples underwent Sanger sequencing for genotyping.

Main Results:

  • Enterovirus (EV) was detected in 22.7% (75/330) of children with suspected CNS infections.
  • The most common EV genotypes identified in CSF were CV-B5 (35.6%), E30 (22.2%), E16 (13.3%), and E11 (11.1%).
  • Phylogenetic analysis revealed significant genetic differences in these predominant genotypes compared to previously described isolates.

Conclusions:

  • Specific enterovirus (EV) genotypes are responsible for a substantial proportion of pediatric CNS infections in the studied population.
  • The identified EV strains exhibit distinct phylogenetic features, suggesting ongoing viral evolution.
  • These findings highlight the importance of continuous molecular surveillance of pediatric CNS infections.

Keywords:
FilmArray®encephalitisenterovirusgenotypingmeningitisparechovirus

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