Published Date: 1998-03-16 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/EDR> Viral myocarditis, research - Malaysia
Archive Number: 19980316.0486

VIRAL MYOCARDITIS, RESEARCH - MALAYSIA
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A ProMED-mail post

See Also

Viral myocarditis - Malaysia (Sarawak) (19) 970708133727
Viral myocarditis - Malaysia (Sarawak), end 970808140442
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 14:53:40 -0400
From: Dorothy Preslar <dpreslar@fas.org>
Source: Xinhua News Agency (using media accounts), 11 Mar 1998

Following the outbreak of a virus, alternately defined as Coxsackie B or
"unknown", that took the lives of 31 children in Sarawak last year,
Malaysian scientists conducted studies on the event and yesterday (11 Mar)
announced the successful cloning [sic? of a new virus strain. The virus
was identified as a member of the adenovirus family, commonly associated
with the common cold.
The research team was composed of scientists from the University of
Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the Institute of Health and Community
Medicine [IHCM. The new virus was announced at a press conference in
Kuching. Dr. Cardosa, director of the institute said that the new virus was
found in many of the victims. However, she said "We cannot prove yet that
it caused the deaths of the 31 children, because it is a new virus, but
that is an interesting finding in itself. She said that the IHCM began the
research last August and is expected to have a test on the viral clones by
the middle of this year. The team has determined part of the viral DNA
sequence and has made the data available to other scientists involved in
similar studies.
--
ProMED-mail
e-mail: promed@usa.healthnet.org
[Good news that some progress has been made toward identification of the
etiologic agent of that epidemic of myocarditis; however, this is a
confusing report. It is unclear whether the "new" virus is a previously
unrecognized adenovirus or a previously recognized adenovirus not
previously associated with such a syndrome. Also, there is mention of
cloning but not virus isolation; I wonder whether the report means the
virus has been isolated and partially sequenced. If the virus is a newly
recognized adenovirus, it likely will be named "Human adenovirus 48"
(according to my count). Within the family Adenoviridae are two genera,
_Aviadenovirus_ (avian adenoviruses) and _Mastadenovirus_ (mammalian
adenoviruses), the latter including at least 9 adenoviruses of cattle, 2 of
canines, 6 of goats, 1 of equids, 47 of humans, 2 of mice, 6 of sheep, 27
of monkeys, 6 of pigs, and 1 from a tree shrew.
Given that the etiologic agent was first reported as a coxsackievirus, then
as maybe not a coxsackievirus, and now maybe a "new" adenovirus, I'll wait
for more details before feeling comfortable with considering this "new"
virus the etiologic agent of this epidemic of myocarditis. Adenoviruses
are commonly isolated from humans, some ill and some not. I certainly hope
molecular studies have not preceded thorough epidemiologic studies in this
episode. - Mod.CHC
......................................chc/es
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