A new candidate type of human enterovirus (Drilon strain) isolated in the Philippines.
A cytopathogenic agent was isolated in monkey kidney (MK) cell cultures from the stool specimen of a 3-month-old Filipina hospitalized with lower respiratory disease. The agent was designated the Drilon strain. It was characterized as an enterovirus on the basis of electron microscopic morphology, nucleic acid type (RNA), resistance to ether and acid (pH 3.0) treatments, stabilization by molar MgCl2 against heat inactivation, and buoyant density in CsCl. The strain caused mild febrile illness in experimentally inoculated cynomolgus monkeys, but not in suckling mice. In addition to its effect on primary MK cells, the virus was cytopathogenic in primary and secondary human amnion or embryonic lung cell cultures and in WI-38 or HEp-2 cell lines, but not in primary bovine kidney, primary porcine kidney, primary embryonic mouse or primary embryonic chick cell cultures. The Drilon strain was not neutralized by reference antisera against the known enterovirus serotypes, and the antiserum prepared with the Drilon strain did not neutralize any of the recognized prototype enterovirus strains. Although the patient's sera were not available, antibodies against the Drilon strain were prevalent in normal Filipinos and Indonesians, but not in Japanese people. The Drilon strain fulfilled the criteria of human enterovirus and is considered a candidate for designation as a new type.
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D010679:Philippines; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*