Details emerging about Saffold virus; further study needed

Itagaki T. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011;30:680-683.

The newly discovered Saffold virus mirrors coxsackievirus B4 in pathogenicity, according to a study published online.

The virus, which belongs to the genus Cardiovirus of the family Picornaviridae, has been found in the stools and respiratory symptoms of healthy children and those with gastrointestinal disturbances.

Tsutomu Itagaki, MD,of the Yamanobe Pediatric Clinic, in Yamagata, Japan, and colleagues looked at respiratory samples collected from 1,525 children between July 2009 and October 2010. In 436 children aged 18 years and younger, viruses other than picornaviruses, such as influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus and adenovirus, were isolated. A total of 263 strains belonging to the family Picornaviridae were isolated in 259 (17%) children. Rhinovirus, coxsackievirus B4 and coxsackievirus A4 were isolated most frequently, according to the study findings.

The Saffold virus (SAFV) genotype 2 was detected in 3.5% of the children tested; the median age of the SAFV2-positive children was 4 years (range: 7 months-16 years). The researchers said the virus appeared in an epidemic pattern, similar to that of the coxsackievirus, with a peak in October 2009.

They said most of the children had a coinfection: 13 had pharyngitis, 12 had tonsillitis, and eight had herpangina. Bronchitis and gastroenteritis were detected in one case each.

Fever was noted in most of the patients, for about 1 or 2 days, and diarrhea was noted in seven of the children. However, the researchers said the diarrhea was not watery or frequent.

The researchers urged further research into this virus, which, to date, has had eight genotypes identified.

“Additional epidemiologic studies are needed to ascertain the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of each genotype of Saffold virus,” they wrote.

Disclosures: The study was supported in part by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; and by a grant-in-aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and for Research on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

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