An outbreak of echovirus 11 in a children's home

An outbreak of echovirus 11 infection was observed in a children's home tha t housed 16 children. Nine children younger than I year shared a large room on the first floor, which contained a large basin. Three of them presented with aseptic meningitis with CSF and stool samples positive for echovirus 11. The other six infants who shared the room were asymptomatic but their s tools were positive for echovirus 11. Seven infants aged 1-2 years stayed o n the second floor and were asymptomatic. One of them had positive stool cu lture for echovirus 11. No virus was isolated from stool samples taken from the 26 staff members. However, serology was suggestive for recent echoviru s 11 infection in seven asymptomatic staff members. All seven worked either exclusively on the first floor or alternately on both floors. Our survey d emonstrated that echovirus 11 may spread very efficiently in children's hom es. The rate of meningitis in the infected infants was 30% while all the re cently infected adults were asymptomatic.