Tissue culture diagnosis of poliomyelitis and aseptic meningitis

The incidence of infection with poliovirus and other viruses in cases of aseptic meningitis (nonparalytic poliomyelitis) in Sheffield in 1954

1. Sixteen cases of paralytic poliomyelitis and twenty-four cases of aseptic meningitis (‘non-paralytic poliomyelitis’) occurring in the Sheffield area were studied clinically and by virological methods.

2. Poliovirus was isolated from thirteen of the sixteen cases of paralytic poliomyelitis and from three of the twenty-four cases of aseptic meningitis. In another two of the cases of paralytic poliomyelitis and another six of the cases of aseptic meningitis serological evidence of poliovirus infection was obtained.

3. Serological evidence of Coxsackie virus infection was found in four of the cases of aseptic meningitis; but in one there was also clear-cut evidence of poliovirus Type 3 infection, and in another it seemed that the infection was contracted in hospital. Evidence of Coxsackie virus infection was also obtained in five cases of paralytic poliomyelitis.

4. Serological evidence of Adenovirus infection was found in one case of aseptic meningitis.

5. No acceptable evidence was found of infection with Columbia SK or related viruses, or with the virus of lymphocytic choriomeningitis.

6. From one patient with aseptic meningitis an unidentified virus was isolated.

We wish to thank Dr J. Kennedy for permission to study patients and Prof. C. P. Beattie and Prof. C. H. Stuart-Harris for help in preparing the manuscript.

Poliovirus precipitins; a study by means of diffusion in agar

Antigens present in poliovirus concentrates react with antibodies present in the serum of hyperimmunized monkeys to give type-specific precipitates. One or more bands of precipitate can be formed wherever such homotypic reactants, diffusing into an agar gel, meet in sufficient concentration and in equivalent proportions. No qualitative differences have been detected between the type-specific reactions given by different strains of the same virus type; and no precipitates have been seen which could be called "group-specific." Non-specific precipitates have occasionally been observed. Type-specific poliovirus precipitins are found in the serum of poliomyelitis patients. Their concentration has been measured by a standardized method. They tend to develop in parallel with neutralizing antibodies against the same virus type, increasing in amount during the first weeks of illness in those patients who show concurrent neutralizing antibody rises. The precipitation reaction has proved valuable in the antigenic analysis of polioviruses. Its general adoption as a diagnostic procedure is perhaps unlikely; but it may be well worth applying for special purposes.

Modification of the homotypic specificity of poliomyelitis complement-fixing antigens by heat

Fluid obtained from HeLa cell cultures infected with poliomyelitis viruses served as a complement-fixing antigen. When used in the native state, i.e. untreated in any way, the fluids acted as homotypically specific antigens. When heated, however, the antigenicity was broadened and a high degree of heterotypic reactivity was encountered. Data are presented indicating that the observed group reactivity was apparently based on common antigens shared by the three immunologic types of poliomyelitis virus. This reactivity appeared to be specific for the poliomyelitis viruses. No evidence was obtained in preliminary experiments that heating of the antigens releases a "soluble" antigen responsible for the group reactivity.