Echinoviruses

They belong to RNA viruses, belong to the genus Aphtoviruses and contain 33 different serotypes.

Disease
Most diseases occur with severe consequences.
 * most infections occur inapparently (without clinical manifestations).
 * about 5% of infections have clinical symptoms: febrile illness, myalgia, rash, meningitis, encephalitis, respiratory and digestive system diseases, hepatitis, pancreatitis, ...

Pathogenesis

 * gate of entry: mainly food, exceptionally the respiratory system
 * multiplication in cells
 * spread by the hematogenous route
 * Clinical consequences depend on the site of virus attachment and the individual's sensitivity.
 * the virus is intensively excreted from the infected mucosa.

Diagnostics

 * incubation from nasopharyngeal swabs, faeces or cerebrospinal fluid on monkey kidney or mouse cell cultures.
 * serological diagnostics using a neutralization test.

Epidemiology
The source of the virus is aninfected person  who is infectious at the end of the incubation period (3 to 7 days). The disease occurs mainly in summer and early autumn.