title: Prevalence of human parechovirus and enterovirus in cerebrospinal fluid samples in children in Jinju, Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human parechovirus (HPeV) and enterovirus (EV) are causative agents of a sepsis-like illness in neonates and of infections of the central nervous system in young children. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of HPeV3 and EV infection in young children with a sepsis-like illness or with meningitis in Jinju, Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected from 267 patients (age range, 1 day to 5 years) and assessed for HPeV and EV by performing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Amplification products of the VP3/VP1 region of HPeV and of the VP1 region of EV were sequenced to identify the virus type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPeV and EV were detected in 3.4% and 7.5% of the total CSF samples assessed, respectively. The age distribution of EV-positive patients (median age, 1.4 months) had a significantly broader range than that of HPeV-positive patients (median age, 7.8 months). The peak seasons for HPeV and EV infection were spring and summer, respectively. The clinical symptoms for HPeV and EV infection were similar, and fever was the most common symptom. Pleocytosis was detected in 22.2% of HPeV-positive patients and 35.5% of EV-positive patients. The VP3/VP1 gene sequence of the nine Korean strains clustered most closely with the Japanese strain (AB759202).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicate that HPeV infection is predominant in young infants (<6 months) and that meningitis without pleocytosis was caused by both HPeV and EV infection in children.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
authors: Ji-Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Seo
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
authors: Jung Sook
authors: JS
authors: Yeom
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Gyeongsang Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
authors: Hee-Shang
authors: HS
authors: Youn
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Tae-Hee
authors: TH
authors: Han
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Ju-Young
authors: JY
authors: Chung
keywords: Enterovirus; Meningitis; Parechovirus