Human Febrile Illness Caused by Encephalomyocarditis Virus Infection, Peru

• Main Authors: M. Steven Oberste, Eduardo Gotuzzo, Patrick Blair, W. Allan Nix, Thomas G. Ksiazek, James A. Comer, Pierre E. Rollin, Cynthia S. Goldsmith, James Olson, Tadeusz J. Kochel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009-04-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Picornavirus; cardiovirus; encephalomyocarditis virus; febrile illness; human infections; Peru
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/4/08-1428_article

Etiologic studies of acute febrile disease were conducted in sites across South America, including Cusco and Iquitos, Peru. Patients’ clinical signs and symptoms were recorded, and acute- and convalescent-phase serum samples were obtained for serologic examination and virus isolation in Vero E6 and C6/36 cells. Virus isolated in Vero E6 cells was identified as encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) by electron microscopy and by subsequent molecular diagnostic testing of samples from 2 febrile patients with nausea, headache, and dyspnea. The virus was recovered from acute-phase serum samples from both case-patients and identified with cardiovirus-specific reverse transcription–PCR and sequencing. Serum samples from case-patient 1 showed cardiovirus antibody by immunoglobulin M ELISA (acute phase <8, convalescent phase >1,024) and by neutralization assay (acute phase <10, convalescent phase >1,280). Serum samples from case-patient 2 did not contain antibodies detectable by either assay. Detection of virus in serum strongly supports a role for EMCV in human infection and febrile illness.