title: Three ECHOvirus serotypes responsible for outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Rhône-Alpes region, France.
abstract: During the year 2000 in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, 559 cases of aseptic meningitis due to enterovirus infection were recorded (approximate incidence, 10 cases per 100,000 population compared with a mean of 0.3 cases during endemic years in this region; P<0.001). Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected from all 559 patients and processed for enterovirus RNA detection using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay only. In addition to the cerebrospinal fluid samples, 40 stool and 76 throat samples were collected from 116 patients (20.7% of cases); the following three enterovirus serotypes were isolated from the stool and throat samples only: ECHOvirus 13 (48/116; 41.3%), ECHOvirus 30 (44/116;37.9%) and ECHOvirus 6 (24/116, 20.7%). This is the first report that demonstrates the involvement of three different ECHOvirus serotypes, particularly ECHOvirus 13, in an outbreak of aseptic meningitis, in the French Rhône-Alpes region.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Centre for Enteroviruses, Laboratoire de Virologie, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire-Lyon, Domaine Rockefeller, 8, Avenue Rockefeller, 69373, Lyon Cedex 08, France. chomel@rockefeller.univ-lyon1.fr
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chomel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antona
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thouvenot
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral