Isolation of Echo Type 21 Virus from Patients with “Infectious Column Myelitis”, a Myelitis following Abdominal Signs
1965 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 139-144
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1965 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 139-144
Two epidemics of myelitis of unknown origin broke out at Ukiha and Yame, Fukuoka. Prefecture, in 1964. The myelitic manifestations ensued from a prodrome of abdominal signs and the clinical diagnosis of the so-called “infectious column myelitis-Maekawa” was established.
Virological and serological studies on 13 patients yielded isolation of three strains of ECHO type 21 from patients' feces, blood and spinal fluid. The titers of neutralizing antibody and complement fixing antibody in 16 sera of the patients were found mostly increased over those in 18 controls.
In view of these findings suggesting an etiologic role of the s me agent in two separate: epidemics, we believe that ECHO type 21 virus has been the actual causative agent for this type of myelitis. However, it is not clear whether the primary, or the secondary infection by this agent gave rise to clinical manifestations.
