title: Detection and identification of human parechoviruses from clinical specimens.
abstract: Human parechovirus (HPeV) may cause various illnesses; however, technologists and clinicians often overlook it. This study, designed to detect HPeV in 3124 clinical specimens from 2849 patients between January and August 2007, presents the first report of HPeVs confirmed by RNA sequences in Taiwan. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and phylogenetic tree analysis identified the isolates as HPeV1 (n = 5), HPeV3 (n = 1), and HPeV4 (n = 2) from 6 children. Although the prevalence is low, HPeVs do cause significant clinical manifestations in children. Phylogenetic analysis has separated the 8 HPeV1 strains as a new lineage from the prototype strain (L02971) in evolutionary transition. Clinicians and technologists should have a high index of suspicion and apply RT-PCR for identification when presented with slower Enterovirus-like cytopathic effect (CPE) in cell cultures and negative or equivocal results of staining with indirect immunofluorescence assay, particularly if the CPE is larger, smoother, and more refractive and relatively slow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bao-Chen
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ming-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Tsi-Shu
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yung-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chia-Wan
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chiao-Shan
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yao-Shen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000821:virology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D030061:Parechovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral