Molecular detection and serotypic analysis of enterovirus RNA in archival specimens from patients with acute myocarditis

• Published in: British Heart Journal Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 522 - 527
• Main Authors: Nicholson, F., Ajetunmobi, J. F., Li, M., Shackleton, E. A., Starkey, W. G., Illavia, S. J., Muir, P., Banatvala, J. E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society 01.11.1995; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Child; Enterovirus - classification; Enterovirus - isolation & purification; Enterovirus Infections; Female; Heart - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Molecular Sequence Data; Myocarditis - virology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Viral - analysis; Viral cardiopathies; Viral diseases; Human; RNA; Picornaviridae; Acute; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Enterovirus; Myocardial disease; Infection; Virus; Myocarditis; Polymerase chain reaction; Heart disease; Coxsackievirus B3
• ISSN: 0007-0769; 1468-201X; 2053-5864
• DOI: 10.1136/hrt.74.5.522

OBJECTIVE--To determine whether enterovirus RNA can be demonstrated in archival necropsy material in acute myocarditis. DESIGN--Analysis of paraffin embedded myocardial tissue from cases of acute myocarditis. SETTING--University virology department. METHODS--Extraction of RNA from tissue followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis. PATIENTS--Six patients with histologically proven myocarditis and eight controls. RESULTS--Enterovirus RNA was identified in 5 of 6 patients with myocarditis and in none of the controls. The nucleotide sequences of the PCR products showed greatest similarity to group B coxsackieviruses, particularly coxsackievirus B3. CONCLUSION--This study indicates that archival tissue samples, even histologically stained tissue sections, can be used to study the role of enteroviruses in myocardial disease using molecular detection techniques. If a predominant role for coxsackievirus B3 in myocarditis is confirmed by further study, this may have implications for the development of a specific vaccine.