Detection of corona-like virus in a case of flaccid paraparesis in Belém, Pará State, Brazil

Delana Andreza Melo Bezerra; José Antonio Picanço Diniz; Nelson Antonio Bailão Ribeiro; Maria de Lourdes Contente Gomes; Alexandre da Costa Linhares; Ana Lucia Monteiro Wanzeller

doi:10.5123/S2176-62232011000300008

Authors

Delana Andreza Melo Bezerra Mestranda do Curso de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brasil
José Antonio Picanço Diniz, Júnior Unidade de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Belém, Pará, Brasil
Nelson Antonio Bailão Ribeiro Seção de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Belém, Pará, Brasil
Maria de Lourdes Contente Gomes Seção de Virologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, Pará, Brasil
Alexandre da Costa Linhares Seção de Virologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, Pará, Brasil
Ana Lucia Monteiro Wanzeller Seção de Virologia, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, Pará, Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5123/S2176-62232011000300008

Keywords:

Coronaviridae, Paraparesis, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Motor Disorders

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In this study, we analyzed a fecal sample of a female infant with paralysis and other clinical symptoms that resembled poliomyelitis. Negative staining electron microscopy showed viral particles with a diameter of approximately 120 nm and displaying a crown-like appearance with surface projections. Ultrathin sections showed particles budding from the membranes of the Golgi apparatus. Based on these results, we propose the association of this virus with the neurological disorder and tentatively assign it to the Coronaviridae family. Further studies are required on this proposed relationship.