Detection of poliovirus antibodies and poliovirus genome in patients with the post-polio syndrome.
To investigate the role of poliovirus (PV) infection in the development of the post-polio syndrome (PPS), we studied the serum, spinal fluid, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and muscle from 47 patients with PPS. We found high titers of IgM PV antibodies (up to 1:250) in the serum of 6 patients, compared to very low titers (less than 1:50) in normal subjects or disease controls. By polymerase chain reaction, using primers of the replicase PV gene, we amplified PV sequences in the peripheral blood lymphocytes in 7 of 37 patients and in the CSF in 4 of 40 patients, but in none of the controls. Sequencing of the amplified product confirmed that it belonged to PV type 1 with a 99.3% homology. We conclude that some patients with PPS have in the serum high titers of IgM anti-PV antibodies, implying an ongoing antibody response to a viral antigen. The presence of PV-RNA in the CSF or lymphocytes suggests possible persistence of mutated virus or defective PV particles. The significance of these findings in the pathogenesis of PPS remains to be determined.
Leon-Monzon
M E
ME
Medical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Dalakas
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000382:microbiology; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral