AN UNSEASONABLE WINTER OUTBREAK OF ECHOVIRUS TYPE-30 MENINGITIS

During the winter of late October, 1990 to March, 1991, echovirus type 30 meningitis affected 10 children aged 3-9 years of age in Mikuni, J apan. Five patients presented with constipation, four had diarrhoea, w hile five complained of severe abdominal pain, in addition to typical symptoms and signs compatible with aseptic meningitis. Echovirus type 30 was isolated from the CSF of nine, from the faeces of 10, and from the throats of eight children. All showed a significant antibody respo nse to echovirus type 30 in paired samples of serum. Antigenic variati on and thermostability of a representative isolate indicated some chan ges in virus structural proteins, possibly reflecting tropism for tiss ues in the gastrointestinal tract.