Genetic marker studies of poliovirus: II. Strains isolated from cases of poliomyelitis associated with the administration of live attenuated vaccine

Abstract

Strains of poliovirus were obtained from 13 of the 18 persons in England and Wales with paralytic episodes after administration of oral vaccine in 1962. They have been studied using three marker tests: the R.C.T.40 test, intratypic serodifferentiation and inhibition by dextran sulphate. For comparison a number of strains from subjects with non-paralytic vaccine-associated reactions and from patients with paralytic poliomyelitis not related to vaccine were also tested.Of the eight patients excreting type 1 strains seven came from South Wales where an outbreak was in progress. They all resemble naturally occurring strains from the outbreak in growing at 39·3° but not at 39·8° C.Only one subject excreted type 2 virus which was of vaccine type.The type 3 strains included a series from a family group where a range of results from vaccine to the wild range was obtained. Three other patients with vaccineassociated paralysis excreted type 3 strains with the characteristic of naturally occurring strains.