Fatal Infection in an Infant Associated with Coxsackie Virus Group A, Type 16

Abstract

A 7 week-old infant died 4 days after the onset of clinical manifestations of irritability, respiratory distress, tachycardia, cyanosis and convulsions. Gross pathological findings were suggestive of encephalitis and myocarditis, but microscopical examination of the tissues revealed only enteritis and minimal lesions of the heart and arachnoid. Coxsackie virus Group A, Type 16, was isolated from myocardium, blood and bowel content. After tissue-culture passage the virus produced severe generalized disease in infant mice. The case occurred during an outbreak of infection with this strain. This is the first reported fatal case associated with this agent in which the virus was isolated from the myocardium and blood.