Evening star., 1953-01-12
Odd Coxsockie Virus
Appears on Enigma
Careful Study CIeors
1t Of Any Link to Polio
By Thomos R. Henry

Dy InomoS n. NeHTy
An enigma of medicine is the cox
sackie virus.
First discovered at Coxsackie, New
York, in 1948, and associated with a
polio outbreak, this infinitesimally
small diSeaSe-caus agent now has
been demonstrated as a parasite of
man all over the world-the most
widespread of all viruses affecting
humans except, possibly, the agent of
influenza.
1t can be photographed with the
electron microscope. and its general
physical characteristics are quite
similar to those of the polio virus. It
is living grain about billionth of an
inch in diameter. It is, the studies
show, no respecter of age, race or lati-
tude. although it may show some
slight partiality for children. Unlike
many human viruses, such as that of
polio, it can be demonstrated with ease
in cheap and easily available labora-
tory animal, the sucking mouse. 1t
does not affect adult mice
Because of its potentially great i'm
portance the virus is being studied in
tensively by the staff of the Mircrobio-
logical Institute of the United States
Public Health Service, and the first
report on its characteristics has just
been made through the New England
Journal of Medicine, by Drs. Robert j.
Huebner, Edward E. Beeman, Roger M.
Cole. Paul M. Beigelman and Joseph
A. Bell.
Linked With Two Maladies.
While the virus is generally absolved
of any part in polio epidemics, an
abundance Of evidence has accumu-
lated aSsociating it with two common
maladieS.
First is epidemic pleurodynia. or
Bornholm disease. This alarming but
non-fatal illness occurs both in epi-
demic and endemic forms and has re-
Gently been reported from various parts
of the world. 1t appears to be rapidly
on the increase. 1t is characterized by
sudden onset of abdominal or chest
pain, fever headache and lack Of appe-
tite. All patients recover, but relapses
and complications occur and the illness
may be prolonged. t.
The disease is often, if not usually,
misdiagnosed. 1t would be practically
impossible for any doctor to recognize
it without laboratory tests. It can be
mistaken for appendicitis. pancreatitis.
coronary occlusion, pneumonia, pleur-
isy and intestional infections.
Second of the coxsackie- caused mall
aides is herpangia, epidemic among
children and first described in 1920. 1t
starts with an acute fever. the temper
ature often rising as high as 104. There
often is vomiting and sometimes con-
vulSionS. Sometimes there is prostra-
ton and marked loss of appetite. Small
ulcers appear in the throat. The mall
ady sometimes Is confused with thrush.
measles. scarlet fever and diphtheria.
This again never is fatal disease.
however alarming the symptoms may
seem.
Other Diseases Possible.
It is quite possible that other obscure
human maladies may be due directly
to the virus.
1T is apparent" says the report.
"that coxsackie viruses are among the
most prevalent of recognized yiruses.
and although they have not been found
to cause death in human beings, they
cause considerable misery and distress.
They resemble the viruSes of poliomye-
litis and may therefore occur with
them under the same conditions, even
in the same human host. There is no
good evidence at present that they
influence. in mixed infections, the
course of poliomyelitis.
Beginning in early childhood. In
apparent and missed infections, diff
ferent types of coxsackie viruses oc-
cur repeatedly. Their very prevalence
has forced a critical scrutiny and has
necessitated new concepts of the viral
flora of man. The comparative ease
with which these agents can be iso-
lated and handled in the laboratory
provides an excellent opportunity for
studying the basic nature Of small
viruses transmitted by similar routes"
At present, it is probable. the cox
sackie viruses do not kill anybody. A
characteristic of virus particles, how
ever, Is their capacity to increase sud-
denly in virulence, then to undergo
mutations into new forms with great
killing potentialities. Something OF
the sort apparently happens every
now and then with flu viruses. and
the way is opened for great epidemics
like that of 1918.