title: Molecular detection and identification of enteroviruses in children admitted to a university hospital in Greece.
abstract: Although enteroviral infections occur frequently during childhood, the circulation of particular serotypes has never been studied in Greece. The objectives of the present report were molecular detection and identification of human enteroviruses in children admitted with nonspecific febrile illness or meningitis to a university hospital during a 22-month period. A one-step Real-Time RT-PCR protocol was used for rapid enterovirus detection in genetic material extracted directly from clinical samples, and a sensitive reverse transcription-semi-nested PCR targeting part of the VP1-coding region was used for genotypic identification of the different serotypes. Twenty-one enterovirus strains were detected and identified in 20 stool samples, one cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample, one whole blood sample and one throat swab from 21 out of 134 febrile patients (15.7%). Ten strains belonged to Human Enterovirus Species B (HEV-B) (six serotypes) and eleven to HEV-A (four serotypes). Most of the strains were closely associated with virulent strains circulating in Europe and elsewhere. Detection of the emerging pathogen enterovirus 71 for a first time in Greece was particularly important.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, ATTIKON University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1, Rimini str., Haidari 124 62, Athens, Greece. nsiaf@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siafakas
authors.forename: Ahilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attilakos
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vourli
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stefos
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meletiadis
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nikolaidou
authors.forename: Loukia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zerva
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D029821:Enterovirus A, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006115:Greece; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D058889:Molecular Typing / Q000379:methods*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins