DIAGNOSIS OF NON-POLIO ENTEROVIRAL INFECTIONS IN SEPTIC NEONATES BY POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION ASSAYS

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of non-polio enteroviral infections by quantitative and qualitative PCR assays in neonates 3-30 days old with clinical diagnosis of sepsis. Methods: The patients included all the neonates aged 3-30 days admitted with diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Blood specimens, throat swabs, and in 60 cases CSF specimens were tested for Enteroviruses (EVs), using a quantitative RT-PCR assay. Alternate RT-PCR assays separated polio and non-polio enteroviruses. Demographic data including age, sex, type of feeding and gestational age were obtained. Results: As PCR results revealed, of the 177 neonates with clinical diagnosis of sepsis, one patient (0.55%) was positive for non-polio EVs in all of throat, serum and CSF samples. In 3 patients (1.7%), the results were positive for non-polio EVs in both throat and serum, while in15 (8.45%) others only throat samples were positive. Sex, age and gestational age had no significant relationship with the prevalence of the infections statistically (P>0.05). The prevalence of non-polio EV infections ranged from 6.1% in spring to 15.4% in fall with a significantly increased rate in patients with ill contacts within the family or others (P= 0.05) and inversely related with birth weight (P=0.02). Conclusion: Non-polio EV infections are an important cause of sepsis –like illnesses in neonates. Real-time PCR can serve as a rapid and specific method for the diagnosis of non-polio EVs in neonates suspected to sepsis.