Enteroviral RT-PCR assay on diagnosis of enterovirus in aseptic meningitis patients

  Objective   To compare the results of virus isolation with those of the method of RT-PCR in identical specimens from cases of suspected aseptic meningitis.Cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected for viral examination from 78 pediatric patients with suspected aseptic meningitis.

  Methods   These samples were inoculated in the cell lines of HeLa, RD and Hep-2 cell.The viral RNA was detected by RT-PCRmethod according to the region of 5 UTR.The isolated viruses were typed by neutralization test.

  Results   46 of the 78 specimens were detected to be enter ovirus positive by culture method, while 52 of them yielded positive results when RT-PCRmethod was used.

  Conclusion   Because of higher sensitivity and rapidity of the method of RT-PCR, it is superior to isolate the virus from CSFfor the diagnosis of enterovirus meningitis.