Picornavirus

Family :Pico-rna-viridae
Genus (medical importance)

Rhinoviruses
Enteroviruses

110 serotypes
Poliovirus 1,2,3
Coxsackie virus A1-24
Coxsackie virus B 1-6
Echovirus 1-34
Enterovirus 68-72
 Morphology : 20-40nm small
single stranded RNA virus
Poliovirus ( positive sense)
Non-enveloped
Icosahedral symmetry
 Pathogenesis

Pathological changes are

more extensive than the
distribution of paralysis

Neurons
Nissl bodies
Anterior horns of
Spinal cord
 Clinical features
Exposure

90-95% 5-10%
Seroconversion only Abortive poliomyelitis

Aseptic meningitis / Non –paralytic

poliomyelitis (CNS invasion)

Flaccid paralysis/ paralytic poliomyelitis Recovery after 6 months

With residual paralysis
Lab diagnosis

Isolation from specimen Serodiagnosis –less employed

(feces, throat)
CFT
Tissue culture Antibodies against
(of primate origin) D & C antigens

CPE –rounding, shrinking,

Nuclear pyknosis, separation
Of cells (tear drop)

Neutralization test

** interpreted with clinical

evidence
Prophylaxis - vaccination

Dr Jonas Salk, 1914-1995, developer Dr Albert Sabin, b. 1906, developer

of the inactivated polio vaccine of the oral live polio vaccine.
 OPV
 Attentuated strains – criterias & markers
 Trivalent form : Type 1,2,3 -10,2,3 lakhs
TC ID 50 per dose (0-5 ml)

 Thermostablised with Mgcl & sucrose

2

 Time of admin: after birth & 3 doses at the

interval of 6-8 weeks
 Proper cold chain storage.
Vaccination ?
 Safety

 Efficiency

 Economy

 Nature & duration of immunity – live vaccine

induces local ( intestinal ) & systemic
antibody response ,also protects the
community
 Pulse polio immunization – Herd immunity
Coxsackie virus
A ( 1-24) : causes skin, mucosal & GIT
infections like Herpangina ,HFM disease etc
 B (1-6) : CNS infection, hepatitis, carditis,
Juvenile diabetes & pleurodynia (Bornholm
disease) etc
 Lab diagnosis: virus isolation from lesion or
feces using suckling mice  HPE  NT
 Vaccination is not practicable.
New Enterovirus Types
 Type 68 – pneumonia & bronchitis
 Type 69 – no human disease

 Type 70 – acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis

 Type 71 – meningitis & encephalitis

 Type 72 – reclassified as Hepatitis A virus