Urinary Excretion of Enteroviruses From Children With a Presumed Enteroviral Infection

Enteroviruses can infect most human organ systems, especially the heart, nervous system and pancreas. Whether Enteroviruses can also affect the kidneys is not known yet. Therefore we will analyze urine of children with a suspected enteroviral infection for enteroviruses and signs of kidney infection.

Enteroviruses have been shown to cause mesangioproliferation and glomerulonephritis in mice (especially coxsackievirus B4). In some cases, large amounts of IgA are deposited in the mesangium, resembling human IgA-nephropathy. In humans, case reports indicate the propensity of certain enteroviruses to cause kidney infections. Our project aims to analyze urine of children with suspected enteroviral infections (e.g. meningitis, myocarditis, sepsis of the newborn etc.) to identify cases suspicious of concomitant enteroviral kidney affection. To achieve this aim, enterovirus-PCRs will be performed and microhematuria searched for.