Acute gastroenteritis caused by calicivirus in childhood / 감염

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus is the most common agent of acute gastroenteritis in childhood worldwide. Besides rotavirus, calicivirus is well known another important cause of acute gastroenteritis in childhood. However, caliciviral acute gastroenteritis has not been studied well in Korea. Here we report clinical manifestations of caliciviral acute gastroenteritis confirmed by RT-PCR. METHODS: Eleven patients who were admitted to Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine from April 1998 to April 1999, were involved in this study. RNA was isolated from the stool of the patients. RT-PCR was done. Electrophoresis with the PCR products was done. Viruses were identified by electron microscope. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Infections occurred below 7 years of age in almost all patients. No sex predominance was found. The clinical manifestations were those of acute gastroenteritis, such as diarrhea, vomiting, poor oral intake, fever, nausea, or abdominal pain. Symptoms were less severe compared to rotaviral infection. CONCLUSION: In case of viral gastroenteritis caused not by rotavirus, we should keep in mind that calicivirus is a possible cause.

Isolation of Enterovirus in Patients with Aseptic Meningitis in Spring, 1996 / 감염

BACKGROUND: Aseptic meningitis is an acute viral infection of the central nervous system that occurs commonly in childhood. Although the etiologic agent is not always identified, the human enteroviruses are responsible for most cases of aseptic meningitis in which a cause can be identified. Enterovirus causes approximately 80% of all cases of aseptic meningitis. In 1993, there was a nationwide epidemic of aseptic meningitis by echovirus 9 and 30. We reported that the cause of aseptic meningitis in 1994 was echovirus 3 and coxsackievirus B3 and echovirus 7 in 1995. This study was done to detect the causative agent of aseptic meningitis in spring, 1996. METHODS: To isolate the causative viruses, stool and cerebrospinal fluid specimens from the patients with aseptic meningitis, who were admitted to Severance Hospital in 1996, were collected. Cultured RD cells and HEp-2 cells were inoculated with specimens to see the cytopathic effects. Neutralizing antibody tests using enterovirus serum pool were done on the specimens with the cytopathic effects. RNA was isolated from the cultured supernatants of the infected cells. Oligonucleotide was synthesized by PCR, which was run on polyacrylamide gel after purification with HPLC. After running the DNA produced by using Geneamp RNA PCR kit, electrophoresis was done. RESULTS: Enteroviruses were isolated from 14 out of 17 patients. Among these fourteen, Coxsackievirus B1 was isolated in 13 patients and poliovirus in one patient. PCR product from these viruses showed a 152bp band on electrophoresis. CONCLUSION: The causative virus of aseptic meningitis in patients who were admitted to Severance Hospital during the spring season of 1996 was Coxsackievirus B1.