Coxsackie group B virus infection and acute diarrhoea occurring among children in Costa Rica.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Virological investigation of acute diarrheas and diarrheas of a more prolonged duration in infants and children of Costa Rica were carried out. Of the subjects studied, 75% were excreting virus. Coxsackie B virus types were isolated at a rate of 47% from acute diarrhea specimens, with types 4 and 5 predominating. Non-Coxsackie B virus types were isolated at a rate of 25% from similar specimen material. When specimens from diarrheas of 48 and 72-96 hr. duration were examined, the Coxsackie B virus isolation rates declined to 3 and 14% respectively. An increase in the non-Coxsackie B virus types was observed ranging from 41 to 48% in the diarrheas lasting 48 and 72-96 hr. The implications of these findings in relation to the possible viral etiology of endemic diarrhea in Costa Rica and elsewhere are discussed.
Keywords