Enterovirus 68 is associated with respiratory illness and shares biological features with both the enteroviruses and the rhinoviruses.
Enterovirus (EV) 68 was originally isolated in California in 1962 from four children with respiratory illness. Since that time, reports of EV68 isolation have been very uncommon. Between 1989 and 2003, 12 additional EV68 clinical isolates were identified and characterized, all of which were obtained from respiratory specimens of patients with respiratory tract illnesses. No EV68 isolates from enteric specimens have been identified from these same laboratories. These recent isolates, as well as the original California strains and human rhinovirus (HRV) 87 (recently shown to be an isolate of EV68 and distinct from the other human rhinoviruses), were compared by partial nucleotide sequencing in three genomic regions (partial sequencing of the 5'-non-translated region and 3D polymerase gene, and complete sequencing of the VP1 capsid gene). The EV68 isolates, including HRV87, were monophyletic in all three regions of the genome. EV68 isolates and HRV87 grew poorly at 37 degrees C relative to growth at 33 degrees C and their titres were reduced by incubation at pH 3.0, whereas the control enterovirus, echovirus 11, grew equally well at 33 and 37 degrees C and its titre was not affected by treatment at pH 3.0. Acid lability and a lower optimum growth temperature are characteristic features of the human rhinoviruses. It is concluded that EV68 is primarily an agent of respiratory disease and that it shares important biological and molecular properties with both the enteroviruses and the rhinoviruses.
Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
M Steven
MS
Oberste
Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Kaija
K
Maher
Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory, California Department of Health Services, Richmond, CA, USA.
David
D
Schnurr
Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Mary R
MR
Flemister
Clinical Virology Laboratory, University of Maryland Medical System, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Judith C
JC
Lovchik
State of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Heather
H
Peters
Medical Virology Laboratory, Texas Department of Health, Austin, TX, USA.
Wendy
W
Sessions
Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Carol
C
Kirk
Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA.
Nando
N
Chatterjee
Public Health Laboratory, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Susan
S
Fuller
Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson City, MO, USA.
J Michael
JM
Hanauer
Respiratory and Enteric Viruses Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Mark A
MA
Pallansch
D000328:Adult; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D030016:Enterovirus D, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013696:Temperature