Phan Van Tu, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, Nguyen Thanh Long,
Huynh Thi Kim Loan, Vu Thi Que Huong, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien
Pasteur Insrtitute of
There were 690 specimens tested at Pasteur Institute of Ho
Chi Minh City from 366 patients with acute encephalitis, aseptic meningitis or
meningoencephalitis from April to October, 2003. The CSF and serum samples were
tested for Japanese encephalitis (JE) by IgM-ELISA. The CSF and stool specimens
were inoculated in cell cultures (Vero, GL37, RD and HEp-2) for Enterovirus
isolation. The viral isolates were identified by neutralization test (Nt) in cell cultures. RT PCR was applied to differentiate
untypable Enteroviruses and other enteric viruses. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) was confirmed
by RT PCR, Nt and indirect immunofluorescence. In CSF,
JE-specific IgM antibody was determined in 39 of 165 (23.6%) cases and
Enteroviruses were isolated in 9 of 268 cases (3.3%). In stool specimens,
Enteroviruses were isolated in 32 of 185 (17.3%) cases including 2 cases with
EV71. In sera, IgM antibody against EV71 was found in 5 of 8 (62.5%) serum
samples; 81 of 227 (35.7%) cases had JE-specific IgM antibody and 2 of 10 (20%)
cases had IgM for Herpes simplex virus. Among 16 fatal cases, 1 case with
JE-specific IgM was detected in CSF; 2 cases with IgM against EV 71 and 1 case
with IgM against Herpes simplex virus were found in serum; 2 cases had
Enteroviruses isolated in stools. The notifications suggest the sporadic cases
of acute encephalopathy in very young children with gastrointestinal
disturbances and high case-fatality rate in