Since 1985, nonpolio enterovirus (NPEV) surveillance data on
isolates reported from March through May in the United States
have been used to predict the serotypes likely to be isolated
during July through December, which encompasses the period of the
peak enterovirus activity. From March through May 1990, state
virology laboratories reported to CDC 77 NPEV isolates. Echovirus
30 was isolated most frequently (19 isolates (25%)), followed by
coxsackievirus A9 (eight isolates (10%)), coxsackie virus B2
(eight isolates (10%)),echovirus 5 (five isolates (6%)),
echovirus 6 (five isolates (6%)), and coxsackievirus B5,
echovirus 7, echovirus 9, andechovirus 11 (four isolates each
(5%)).
During March through May 1989, coxsackievirus B5 was the most
commonly reported NPEV (16 (52%) of 31 isolates). Of all 1260
NPEV isolates reported for 1989, the six most common were
coxsackievirus B5 (21%), echovirus 9 (20%), echovirus 11 (10%),
coxsackievirus B2 (6%), echovirus 6 (5%), and coxsackievirus A16
(5%).
Reported by: State virology laboratory directors. Respiratory and
Enterovirus Br, Div of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Center for
Infectious Diseases, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Enteroviruses are a group of 65 different, common
agents causing illnesses that range from mild, nonspecific
manifestations to syndromes as severe as aseptic meningitis.
Reporting of the most prevalent enterovirus serotypes may assist
diagnostic laboratories in the rapid identification of
enterovirus isolates and public health officials in recognizing
and controlling outbreaks of enteroviral disease. Among the
commonly reported isolates for 1989, coxsackievirus A16 was the
agent most probably responsible for large regional outbreaks of
hand, foot,and mouth disease.
Since 1970, state health department laboratories have reported
enterovirus serotypes to CDC on a monthly basis approximately 6-8
weeks after specimens are submitted for identification; the delay
in reporting is due to the time necessary to isolate and identify
the viruses. Previous reviews of enterovirus surveillance data
have demonstrated that isolates from March through May predict
the serotypes likely to be isolated in July through
December(1,2). From 1970 through 1983, the six most common
isolates in March through May accounted for an average of 59% of
the isolates in July through December (range: 51%-74%), and for
this period in 1984-1988, for 50%-58% of the isolates. In 1989,
they accounted for 66% of isolates in July through December.
Serotypes isolated in early 1990 suggested that echovirus
30,coxsackieviruses A9 and B2, and echoviruses 5 and 6 are likely
to be prevalent this year. Preliminary data from June and July
1990 indicate that these serotypes accounted for 75% of the
enteroviruses reported. These five serotypes and five of the six
most frequently reported isolates in 1989 are among the 15 most
frequently reported isolates during 1970-1983(1).
Virology laboratories are encouraged to report identified
enteroviruses through state virology laboratories to CDC.
References
Strikas RA, Anderson LJ, Parker RA. Temporal and
geographicpatterns of isolates of nonpolio enterovirus in the
United States,1970-1983. J Infect Dis 1986;153:346-51.
Disclaimer
All MMWR HTML documents published before January 1993 are electronic conversions from ASCII text into HTML. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Users should not rely on this HTML document, but are referred to the original MMWR paper copy for the official text, figures, and tables. An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.
**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.
