An epidemic associated with echovirus type 18.

During the period October 1968 to March 1969 echovirus type 18 was isolated from 83 patients investigated at Fairfield Hospital for Communicable Diseases, Melbourne. The illnesses most commonly associated with these isolations were aseptic meningitis, and fever with rash.We believe that this is the first report of an epidemic due to echovirus type 18 and the first occasion on which this virus has been shown to produce disease in adults.