Detection of enteroviruses in cerebrospinal fluids: enzymatic amplification and hybridization with a biotinylated riboprobe.

Cerebrospinal fluids from 54 children with meningitis syndrome were examined for the presence of enteroviruses by cell culture, by enzymatic amplification of viral cDNA and by hybridization. Viral sequences were found in 37/39 CSF specimens positive by cell culture (95%) and in 6/15 (40%) CSF specimens negative by cell culture. Thus, PCR, as a specific and sensitive technique, may be suitable for rapid diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis in clinical specimens from which enteroviruses are difficult to isolate.