A survey of enteroviruses and adenoviruses in the faeces of normal children aged 0–4 years: A report of the Public Health Laboratory Service and the Society of Medical Officers of Health

Abstract

In a survey of enterovirus and adenovirus excretion in normal children in 1961–62, 25,600 faecal specimens were examined, 25,589 of them in cell culture and 17,596 in newborn mice.Polioviruses were isolated from 156 (0·86%) specimens before Sabin vaccination was introduced in February 1962 and from 389 (5·27%) specimens after this. Coxsackie A viruses were isolated from 894 (5·08%) specimens, Coxsackie B viruses from 196 (0·77%), echoviruses from 278 (1·09%) and adenoviruses from 128 (0·50%).The isolation rates of these viruses varied with sex, age, geographical area, type of local authority area and season.The isolation rate of polioviruses before the introduction of Sabin vaccination was the same as in a previous survey carried out in 1957–58, although the rate was lower in Salk vaccinated children than in unvaccinated children. After Sabin vaccination began the isolation rate increased and Type 3 virus replaced Type 1 virus as the most prevalent virus type.

Epidemiological features of entero non-poliovirus isolations in Belgium 1980–94

“…Enteroviruses and adenoviruses are often present in faeces of normal children under 5 years of age [4], so that the results of routine laboratory investigations have to be interpreted cautiously [5].…”

An Adenovirus Isolated from the Feces of Mice

“…It has been noticed recently that adenoviruses in general, appear to have a greater predilection for growth in the intestinal tract than in the respiratory tract. There are many reports concerning the predominant growth of adenoviruses in the intestines of apparently healthy humans [3,5,7,10,14,16] and in human cases with enteric disorder [4,6,15]. Even in respiratory diseases with or without enteric symptoms, virus isolation appears to be more favorable from fecal specimens rather than from throat swabs [11,19,21,22].…”