THE ISOLATION OF POLIOMYELITIS VIRUS FROM HUMAN EXTRA-NEURAL SOURCES. I. COMPARISON OF VIRUS CONTENT OF PHARYNGEAL SWABS, OROPHARYNGEAL WASHINGS, AND STOOLS OF PATIENTS1

Abstract

Throat swabs, oropharyngeal washings, and stools were collected at weekly intervals for 6 weeks from 20 patients, both paralytic and non-paralytic and ranging in age from 5 to 16 yrs., during the 1944 N. Carolina epidemic. The specimens were concentrated and partially purified by treatment with ether and by differential centrifugation. Rhesus monkeys, inoculated intracerebrally, were the test animals. During the 1st week, 1 of 19 swabs, 1 of 15 washings, and 7 of 10 stools yielded virus; during the 2d week, none of 6 swabs, none of 7 washings, and 4 of 7 stools yielded virus; no data are given for recovery of virus after the 2d week. These results are in agreement with those obtained by other workers.