Echovirus Type 6 Meningitis: Clinical and Virological Observations during an Epidemic in Turku in 1968

Abstract

Clinical and virological findings in 28 patients with echovirus 6 meningitis are presented. Almost every patient had fever, headache and vomiting. Other prominent symptoms were stiffness of the neck and back, signs of cardiac involvement, pains in the stomach, chest, back and various muscles, diarrhoea, photophobia and bleeding from the nose. Special attention was paid to the cardiac signs. During the first and second days the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings were often suggestive of bacterial meningitis, whereas after the second day of illness the findings were typical of aseptic meningitis. The CSF glucose level was normal in everey case. Echovirus 6 was isolated from anal and/or throat specimens in 7 patients, and a probable echovirus 6 in 4 other patients. The virological diagnosis was mostly based on the results of neutralization tests carried out on paired serum specimens.