The occurrence of Coxsackie virus in a hospital material of paralytic poliomyelitis, aseptic meningitis and a miscellaneous group of diseases

Summary

About two thirds of all cases in Stockholm of paralytic poliomyelitis and aseptic meningitis as well as a miscellaneous group of diseases were examined by the author for the presence of Coxsackie virus over a period of 4 years.

In paralytic poliomyelitis Coxsackie virus was recovered in 0.9 per cent and in aseptic meningitis in 5.9 per cent; in 11.7 per cent in children up to 16 years of age and in 3.0 per cent in adults. In the miscellaneous group of diseases Coxsackie virus was recovered in 2.9 per cent. The percentage of Coxsackie positive cases of aseptic meningitis was fairly evenly distributed over the whole year. Statistical evidence was obtained to a certain degree of the etiological connection between Coxsackie virus and aseptic meningitis, especially concerning the connection of aseptic meningitis with Coxsackie virus subgroup B (5.8 per cent of children and 3 per cent of the adult cases).

In the present material Coxsackie infections reached a peak in September at the same time as aseptic meningitis. In comparison it may be mentioned that mumps with meningitis reached its peak in the spring, when also a couple of cases were found of aseptic meningitis without mumps but with positive complement fixation. No such cases were encountered during the autumn.