Echinoviruses


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

Disease

  • 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, ...

Most diseases occur with severe consequences.

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.


Literature

  • HORÁČEK, Jiří. Základy lékařské mikrobiologie. 1. edition. 2000. ISBN 80-246-0006-4.