Chronic myopathy associated with coxsackievirus type A9. A combined electron microscopical and viral isolation study.
Virus-like crystalline structures in human skeletal muscles have been observed by many electron microspists, but no viruses have been isolated and identified in such cases. An 11-year-old girl who had had muscular weakness and physical retardation since early infancy died of pneumonia due to atrophy of diaphragmatic and intercostal muscles. Electron microscopy of these muscles revealed a heavy infiltration of picornavirus-like particles that measured 19 to 23 nm in diameter. Subsequent inoculation of primary human-amnion cells with a sonic-treated suspension of the patient's diaphragmatic muscle induced an enterovirus-like cytopathic effect. The isolate was identified with use of Lim-Benyesh--Meinick enterovirus typing serum pools as coxsackievirus Type A-9. This viral isolation supports the belief that the organized  electron-dense particles in human muscle are indeed virions.
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D001344:Autopsy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000473:pathology; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007366:Intercostal Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009132:Muscles / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012703:Serotyping