Human enteroviruses (EVs) are the major cause of a variety of acute and chronic illnesses. Virus isolation and neutralization tests are usually done to identify the causative virus, but these tests are labor intensive, time consuming, and sometimes require suckling mice from which certain viruses have been isolated. This study investigated a rapid and reliable method based on reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree constructed by neighbor-joining on the basis of the VP4 sequence from 66 prototypes grouped all human EVs into 5 distinct clusters. These clusters correspond closely to the 5 newly designated species-human EV A-D and poliovirus. The VP4 sequences of 89 isolates from 26 serotypes obtained over >30 years plus those of 66 prototype strains were analyzed. Each isolate formed a monophyletic cluster along with its respective prototype strain, allowing for serotype identification (with the exception of E-8). VP4-based classification appears to be an effective tool for the molecular epidemiology study of EVs.

IFN resistance of HCV correlates with its "RGQQ-" motif at the N-terminus of PePHD in HCV genotype 2a and 2b. PePHD of HCV could be a predictor of IFN resistance in patients infected with HCV genotype 2a and 2b.

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To examine inter-spouse transmission as one of the potential routes of infection for hepatitis C virus (HCV), 121 patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease who tested positive for antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) and their spouses were studied. Of these, 21 (17.4%) patients had spouses with anti-HCV. In 12 couples, the HCV genotype matched (type II: 10 couples, type III: two couples). The genotype differed in six couples. One patient was positive for anti-HCV, but negative for HCV-RNA, while the spouse was positive for both. The remaining two couples were only positive for anti-HCV. Genetic heterogeneity in the hypervariable region 1 of HCV was analysed in 11 couples with matched genotypes. In two couples, no mutation was recognized in the putative E2/NS1 genes using the heteroduplex method. The present study provides evidence to verify household transmission of HCV between patients and their spouses. These results suggest that inter-spouse transmission may be a potential route of transmission of HCV infection. However, other environmental factors (e.g. the duration of the marriage) cannot be ignored.

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