Novel mechanism for invasion of EV71 virus demonstrated
Friday, July 18, 2014 - 15:30
in Health & Medicine
A novel mechanism for EV71 entry mediated by its receptor SCARB2 has been reported by scientists. These findings make a significant conceptual advance in the understanding of non-enveloped virus entry, to which EV71 belongs. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease in the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike other enteroviruses, EV71 can cause severe aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, myocarditis and acute flaccid paralysis, thus leading to significant fatality rates.