Isolation and molecular identification of echovirus 13 isolated from patients of aseptic meningitis in Korea, 2002.
During 2002, several epidemics of aseptic meningitis were attributed to echovirus 13 in Korea. The causative agents of these outbreaks were isolated and identified using rhabdosarcoma cells, HEp-2 and Buffalo green monkey kidney cells, and a neutralization test using monospecific antiserum. Fifty-four echovirus 13 isolates were isolated from patients with aseptic meningitis in the provinces, Seoul, Kyonggi, Gwangju, Jeonju, Busan, and Ulsan. Symptoms associated with aseptic meningitis infection in patients included the occurrence of headaches and mild fever. Molecular characterization of echovirus 13 samples was achieved by sequence and phylogenetic analyses on partial VP1 sequences from 20 Korean isolates and 10 foreign isolates listed in Genbank. Minor variation was observed among the Korean isolates, which formed a unique cluster with isolates of German and Japanese origin. The marked similarities between isolates could be attributed to a relatively recent arrival of the virus in Korea. This is the first such investigation of aseptic meningitis caused by echovirus 13 on the Korean peninsula.
Cheon
Doo-Sung
DS
Department of Virology, National Institute of Health, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Jiwon
J
Lee
Kangbum
K
Lee
Sunhwa
S
Park
Kwisung
K
Ahn
Jungbae
J
Jee
Youngmee
Y
Yoon
Jaedeuk
J
Cho
Haewol
H
D000818:Animals; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology; D004457:Echovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral