[Coxsackie A virus infections].

In 1974-1987 at the virological department of the Regional Hygiene Station in Brno viruses from the group coxsackie A were isolated in 67 patients, in particular on newborn mice, and exceptionally in tissue cultures. Because typing sera were not available, it was not possible with the exception of coxsackie A9 to differentiate different serotypes. The aetiological relationship of the isolated virus and the disease was evaluated according to commonly accepted criteria. The infection was manifested clinically above all by affection of the nervous system--in 43 patients, i.e. 64.17%--most frequently as aseptic meningitis. The second most frequent disease were herpanginas. The group of coxsackie A viruses also played an aetiological role in diseases of the respiratory and digestive tract, in hand, foot and mouth disease. The disease took a benign course, only in a 7-day-old neonate it caused fatal haemorrhagic pneumonia. Infections caused by coxsackie A viruses occurred mostly in the summer and autumn months, sporadically or epidemically in child communities. In the population aged 0-15 years with the highest incidence in the group aged 0-5 years, mainly in boys.