title: The postpolio syndrome: no evidence for poliovirus persistence.
abstract: To investigate the possibility of poliovirus persistence in patients with the postpolio syndrome, we examined skeletal muscle biopsy specimens, cerebrospinal fluid specimens, and sera for the presence of poliovirus RNA by the polymerase chain reaction, and for IgM antibodies by a poliovirus type-specific IgM antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In none of these specimens was poliovirus RNA or a poliovirus type-specific IgM response detected. These results argue against the hypothesis that poliovirus persists in patients with the postpolio syndrome and plays a role in the pathogenesis of the postpolio syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Melchers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Visser
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jongen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Loon
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nibbeling
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oostvogel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Willemse
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galama
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D001706:Biopsy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009132:Muscles / Q000382:microbiology; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral