Abstract
For many encephalitis cases, the cause remains unidentified. After 2 children (from the same family) received a diagnosis of acute necrotizing encephalopathy at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (Tours, France), we attempted to identify the etiologic agent. Because clinical samples from the 2 patients were negative for all pathogens tested, urine and throat swab specimens were added to epithelial cells, and virus isolates detected were characterized by molecular analysis and electron microscopy. We identified a novel reovirus strain (serotype 2), MRV2Tou05, which seems to be closely related to porcine and human strains. A specific antibody response directed against this new reovirus strain was observed in convalescent-phase serum specimens from the patients, whereas no response was observed in 38 serum specimens from 38 healthy adults. This novel reovirus is a new etiologic agent of encephalitis.
Highlights
Mammalian reoviruses, members of the genus Orthoreovirus, are nonenveloped double-stranded RNA viruses with a genome composed of 10 segments
We report the isolation of a novel human type 2 reovirus from 2 children hospitalized with acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE)
This study describes the entire molecular characterization of a new reovirus strain isolated from 2 familial ANE patients
Summary
Members of the genus Orthoreovirus, are nonenveloped double-stranded RNA viruses with a genome composed of 10 segments. These viruses have 3 major serotypes: type 1 Lang (T1L), type 2 Jones (T2J), and type 3 Dearing (T3D), which can be differentiated by neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition tests [1]. A fundamental characteristic of these viruses, because of their segmented genome, is that 2 distinct viruses can infect the same cell and combine their genomes, Author affiliations: Fondation Mérieux, Lyon, France Komurian-Pradel); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Bretonneau, Tours, France Goudeau); Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U966, Tours
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