Enterovirus infections in acute pancreatitis - a possible etiological connection

All patients admitted with a preliminary diagnosis of acute pancreatitis during a one-year period were subjected to virus investigations. 142 patients were included in the study and of these 91 were found to have acute pancreatitis. Evidence of enteroviral infection was found in 18 of the 91 patients (19.8 per cent). From 17 of the 18 patients enterovirus was isolated from feces or urine, and in one a significant titer rise (CF-test) against Coxsackie virus B5 was found. A significant titer rise of antibodies against the virus type isolated could be demonstrated in 7 of the 17 patients. Thus in 8 cases there was obvious evidence of an acute enteroviral infection during the episode of acute pancreatitis. The etiological agents in these cases were Coxsackie viruses B2, B3, and B5, and ECHO-viruses 6, 11, 22, and 30.