Detection of coxsackie B virus infection using a rapid screening method.

A Western blot method (WB) was adapted for rapid screening of antibodies against coxsackie virus B1-B6 in sera from patients with newly diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, myocarditis or febrile syndrome of suspected coxsackie viral aetiology. The use of a mixture of all 6 coxsackie virus B serotypes as the common antigen permitted a very rapid and inexpensive detection of antibody-positive sera for preliminary diagnosis and further detailed assay. Comparison of the results with those obtained in parallel run virus-neutralization tests showed a higher sensitivity and comparable specificity of WB.

Tumour necrosis factor alfa and glucose levels in sera of mice infected with coxsackie B4 and A7 viruses.

Cytokines have been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of type I diabetes mellitus through their direct and indirect effects on the pancreatic islet cells. We studied the time course of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and glucose levels in the sera of mice infected with coxsackie B4 and A7 viruses. Two correlating peaks of TNF-alpha and glucose were found. These results suggest the involvement of TNF-alpha in the damage of the insulin producing cells and thus an immunity-related inflammatory process.

In vitro infection of mouse pancreatic islet cells with coxsackie viruses.

We have demonstrated the ability of 4 standard coxsackie viruses (B4, B5, A7, and A9) and one fresh isolate (A7) from a newly diabetic child with homologous serological response, to infect in vitro grown mouse pancreatic islet cells. Up to the 9th day after infection the multiplication of viruses in the cells was proved using virus titration and immunofluorescence test. Isolated pancreatic cells proved to be a suitable model for detailed studies of experimental infection of pancreatic cells with coxsackie viruses.