Accuracy of diagnostic methods and surveillance sensitivity for human enterovirus, South Korea, 1999-2011

Emerg Infect Dis. 2013 Aug;19(8):1268-75. doi: 10.3201/eid.1908.130496.

Abstract

The epidemiology of enteroviral infection in South Korea during 1999-2011 chronicles nationwide outbreaks and changing detection and subtyping methods used over the 13-year period. Of 14,657 patients whose samples were tested, 4,762 (32.5%) samples were positive for human enterovirus (human EV); as diagnostic methods improved, the rate of positive results increased. A seasonal trend of outbreaks was documented. Genotypes enterovirus 71, echovirus 30, coxsackievirus B5, enterovirus 6, and coxsackievirus B2 were the most common genotypes identified. Accurate test results correlated clinical syndromes to enterovirus genotypes: aseptic meningitis to echovirus 30, enterovirus 6, and coxsackievirus B5; hand, foot and mouth disease to coxsackievirus A16; and hand, foot and mouth disease with neurologic complications to enterovirus 71. There are currently no treatments specific to human EV infections; surveillance of enterovirus infections such as this study provides may assist with evaluating the need to research and develop treatments for infections caused by virulent human EV genotypes.

Keywords: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; RT-PCR; South Korea; cell culture; genotype; human enterovirus; prevalence; real time RT-PCR; surveillance; the Republic of Korea; viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Enterovirus / genetics*
  • Enterovirus Infections / diagnosis*
  • Enterovirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Epidemiological Monitoring
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques
  • Molecular Typing
  • Prevalence
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology
  • Seasons
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins