Identification of Coxsackie Viruses by Immunological Methods and Their Classification into 16 Antigenically Distinct Types

Abstract

232 strains of Coxsackie or C viruses isolated in widespread areas in this country and abroad, from patients, flies, and sewage, have been identified by the complement fixation and neutralization tests, and classified into 16 different immunological entities. The antigenic identification was done chiefly by using the unknown strains as complement fixing antigens. The results thus obtained were checked by neutralization tests. Seven immunological types were known at the beginning of the study, and nine additional ones have been recognized as a result of this work. Their classification was established by cross complement fixation and cross neutralization tests with all sixteen known C viruses. In 95 cases, the isolations had been made from individual patients, and in all, a strain crossing with a single type was recovered. In 5 instances in which the isolations had been made from pooled human stools, 3 crossed with more than one type. In 17 of 52 isolates recovered from flies, and in 8 of 80 from sewage, this multiplicity was also present. The separation of multiple strains into their individual components was accomplished in 10 cases. In the remaining 18, the results of the complement fixation and neutralization tests are indicative of multiplicity. The component viruses were identified, but separation of the strains was not attempted.