Epidemiology of human enterovirus 71 infections in France, 2000-2009.

Background: Human enterovirus 71 (EV-71) emerged as a significant pathogen able to cause large outbreaks involving severe neurological cases and children fatalities in Asia.

Objectives: To describe epidemiology of EV-71 infections in France.

Study Design: Fifty-nine patients admitted in 12 different hospitals from 1994 to 2009 were included.

Phylogenetic analysis of Echovirus 30 isolated during the 2005 outbreak in France reveals existence of multiple lineages and suggests frequent recombination events.

Background: Echovirus 30 (E-30) was responsible in France for a major aseptic meningitis outbreak during 2005 summer season. However, the virological mechanisms responsible for the periodic emergence of the epidemic strains remain to be investigated.

Objectives: To assess the genetic diversity of two genome regions, VP1 and 3Dpol, of echovirus 30 strains isolated during the 2005 aseptic meningitis outbreak in Champagne Ardenne (CA) area (France).

Echovirus 6 strains derived from a clinical isolate show differences in haemagglutination ability and cell entry pathway.

Two echovirus 6 (EV6) strains were isolated from a clinical sample after successive sub-cultures in PLC (human hepatocellular carcinoma) and HeLa (human cervical adenocarcinoma) cells. The first strain retained its haemagglutinating capacity (HAEV6) while the second became non-haemagglutinating (NHAEV6). Virus binding assay showed that HAEV6 was capable of binding to DAF-expressing cells but not NHAEV6 confirming the role of DAF in EV6 haemagglutination.

Rapid diagnosis of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis due to coxsackievirus A24 variant by real-time one-step RT-PCR.

Coxsackievirus A24 variant is, together with enterovirus 70 and adenoviruses, the major etiological agent involved in acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis outbreaks worldwide. However, the standard virus isolation method followed by serotyping or VP1 region sequencing is time-consuming. A rapid method for the detection of coxsackievirus A24 variant from conjunctival swab specimens would be useful in the context of explosive and extensive outbreaks.

New enteroviruses, EV-93 and EV-94, associated with acute flaccid paralysis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis often identifies enteroviruses not typeable by virus neutralization in cell culture. During 2000 and 2001, 186 isolates from 138 children with acute flaccid paralysis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were sent for typing to the National Reference Centre for Enteroviruses in Lyon, France. The 5' UTR of the viral genome could be amplified by PCR for 158 isolates from 114 patients.

Outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in French Guiana and West Indies caused by coxsackievirus A24 variant: phylogenetic analysis reveals Asian import.

An outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis occurred in French Guiana between April and July 2003, with approximately 6,000 cases in the two major cities Kourou and Cayenne. Since acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is not a notifiable disease in France, there was no registration of the number of cases. Therefore, these were estimated by comparing the consumption of antibiotic eye drops and ophthalmic ointments during 2002 and 2003.

Molecular identification and characterization of two proposed new enterovirus serotypes, EV74 and EV75.

Sequencing of the gene that encodes the capsid protein VP1 has been used as a surrogate for antigenic typing in order to distinguish enterovirus serotypes; three new serotypes were identified recently by this method. In this study, 14 enterovirus isolates from six countries were characterized as members of two new types within the species Human enterovirus B, based on sequencing of the complete capsid-encoding (P1) region. Isolates within each of these two types differed significantly from one another and from all other known enterovirus serotypes on the basis of sequences that encode either VP1 alone or the entire P1 region.

Outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Djibouti in the aftermath of El Niño.

At the end of 1990s, an outbreak of enteroviral meningitis in Djibouti was associated with the cocirculation of multiple serotypes. This uncommon distribution was related to the dissemination of enterically transmitted agents in the aftermath of El Nino events disturbing the Horn of Africa. Both Djiboutians and expatriate residents were infected.

Diversity of enterovirus sequences detected in oysters by RT-heminested PCR.

Oysters harvested in western France, from five sites associated with outbreaks of food-borne norovirus gastroenteritis between February 2000 and March 2001, were assayed for enterovirus RNA by reverse transcriptase-heminested polymerase chain reaction (RT-heminested PCR). Forty percent (21/52) of shellfish samples (pool of seven oysters) were contaminated by enteroviruses. Infectious coxsackieviruses serotype A21 were isolated from three of these positive samples.

Etiologic diagnosis of 204 pericardial effusions.

The etiologic evaluation of pericardial effusion is frequently unsuccessful when noninvasive methods are used. To determine the cause of the current episode, all patients with echographically identified pericardial effusion from May 1998 to December 2002 underwent noninvasive diagnostic testing of blood, throat, and stool samples. Patients with postpericardiotomy syndrome were excluded.

Sequencing of 'untypable' enteroviruses reveals two new types, EV-77 and EV-78, within human enterovirus type B and substitutions in the BC loop of the VP1 protein for known types.

The N-terminal part of VP1 was sequenced for 43 enterovirus isolates that could not initially be neutralized with LBM pools or in-house antisera. Most isolates were found to belong to human enterovirus type A (HEV-A) and HEV-B (18 isolates of each). All HEV-A isolates could be typed by sequencing, with CV (coxsackievirus)-A16 and EV (enterovirus)-71 being dominant (nine and seven isolates, respectively).

Encephalomyelitis due to human parechovirus type 1.

Objectives: The implication of a viral agent in encephalomyelitis has been reported for several years. In the present study we wanted to demonstrate the presence of human parechovirus type 1 (HPEV1) in a patient diagnosed with encephalomyelitis.

Study Design: Clinical samples (throat and rectal swabs, acute and convalescent sera, cerebrospinal fluid) were collected from a 10-month-old boy diagnosed with encephalomyelitis.

Specific RT-PCR procedure for the detection of human parechovirus type 1 genome in clinical samples.

Among the new genera of Parechoviruses, human parechovirus type 1, formerly ECHO virus 22, has recently been recognized on the basis of distinctive biological and molecular properties. This human pathogen generally causes mild gastro-enteritis, respiratory infections and is also responsible for central nervous system infections. To ensure reliable detection, these latter infections are diagnosed by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedures.