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[The latest on enteroviruses in human pathology]
1Laboratoire de bactériologie-virologie, Faculté de médecine, J.-Lisfranc, Saint-Etienne, France.
Annales De Biologie Clinique
|May 1, 1997
Summary
Enteroviruses, RNA viruses causing acute and persistent infections, are being re-examined. Advanced PCR techniques are crucial for diagnosing enterovirus infections and exploring their link to chronic diseases.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Microbiology
Context:
- Enteroviruses are a diverse group of small RNA viruses within the Picornaviridae family, with over 65 known serotypes.
- Their non-enveloped structure confers resistance to environmental factors, facilitating transmission via oral-fecal, respiratory, and mucosal routes.
Purpose:
- To review the role of enteroviruses in human health, focusing on their association with both acute and persistent infections.
- To discuss current and emerging diagnostic methodologies, particularly polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for enterovirus detection.
- To explore the potential link between enterovirus persistence and the development of chronic diseases.
Summary:
- Enteroviruses are implicated in various acute human infections and increasingly recognized for their role in persistent conditions.
- Genomic techniques like PCR are revolutionizing the diagnosis and study of enterovirus infections, reviving interest in their clinical significance.
- The potential involvement of enteroviruses in chronic pathologies such as chronic meningoencephalitis, post-polio syndrome, myocarditis, and diabetes mellitus is under investigation.
Impact:
- Confirmation of enterovirus persistence in chronic diseases could necessitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies, including vaccines and antiviral agents.
- Advances in diagnostic tools like PCR enhance the ability to identify enterovirus infections, aiding in patient management and epidemiological studies.