Parechovirus
Encyclopedia
Parechovirus is a viral
genus
in the family Picornaviridae. The genus is composed of two species: Human parechovirus and Ljungan virus
.
22), human parechovirus 2 (formerly echovirus
23), and human parechoviruses 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
A total of 15 genotypes are currently recognised.
and encephalitis
. Human parechoviruses are commonly spread and more than 95% of humans are infected by human parechoviruses early in life, within two to five years of age.
Ljungan virus
has been proposed as a zoonotic virus, associated with diabetes and intrauterine fetal death in human. However, the data regarding these features is currently limited and needs to be confirmed.
was first isolated from bank vole
s (Myodes glareolus, formerly Clethrionomys glareolus).
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the family Picornaviridae. The genus is composed of two species: Human parechovirus and Ljungan virus
Ljungan virus
The Ljungan virus was first discovered in the mid-1990s after being isolated from a bank vole near the Ljungan river in Medelpad county, Sweden. It has since been established that the Ljungan virus, which is also found in several places in Europe and America, causes serious illness in wild as well...
.
Taxonomy
Six types of human parechovirus have been identified: human parechovirus 1 (formerly echovirusEchovirus
An ECHO virus, is a type of RNA virus that belongs to the genus Enterovirus of the Picornaviridae family...
22), human parechovirus 2 (formerly echovirus
Echovirus
An ECHO virus, is a type of RNA virus that belongs to the genus Enterovirus of the Picornaviridae family...
23), and human parechoviruses 3, 4, 5 and 6, respectively.
A total of 15 genotypes are currently recognised.
Clinical
Human parechoviruses cause mild, gastrointestinal or respiratory illness, but have been implicated in cases of myocarditisMyocarditis
Myocarditis is inflammation of heart muscle . It resembles a heart attack but coronary arteries are not blocked.Myocarditis is most often due to infection by common viruses, such as parvovirus B19, less commonly non-viral pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi or Trypanosoma cruzi, or as a...
and encephalitis
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue...
. Human parechoviruses are commonly spread and more than 95% of humans are infected by human parechoviruses early in life, within two to five years of age.
Ljungan virus
Ljungan virus
The Ljungan virus was first discovered in the mid-1990s after being isolated from a bank vole near the Ljungan river in Medelpad county, Sweden. It has since been established that the Ljungan virus, which is also found in several places in Europe and America, causes serious illness in wild as well...
has been proposed as a zoonotic virus, associated with diabetes and intrauterine fetal death in human. However, the data regarding these features is currently limited and needs to be confirmed.
History
The Ljungan virusLjungan virus
The Ljungan virus was first discovered in the mid-1990s after being isolated from a bank vole near the Ljungan river in Medelpad county, Sweden. It has since been established that the Ljungan virus, which is also found in several places in Europe and America, causes serious illness in wild as well...
was first isolated from bank vole
Bank Vole
The bank vole is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches, with a tail about half as long as its body. A rodent, it lives in woodland areas and is around in length. The bank vole is found in western Europe and northern Asia...
s (Myodes glareolus, formerly Clethrionomys glareolus).