Durante la epidemia de neuropatía ocurrida en Cuba en los años 1992/1994 se aislaron del líquido cefalorraquídeo de pacientes agentes virales relacionados antigénicamente con los virus Coxsackie. Para establecer una función de estos virus en la etiopatogenia de la enfermedad se seleccionaron las cepas 47/93 IPK identificada como Coxsackie A9 y la cepa 44/93 IPK de efecto citopático ligero (ECP-L) y se realizó un estudio de sus características antigénicas mediante Western Blot. Se comprobó la relación antigénica entre ambas cepas y se demostró la ausencia de proteínas estructurales en su forma nativa en los agentes de ECP-L. A partir de estos resultados se plantea la posibilidad de que la persistencia sea un mecanismo por el cual estos virus participen en la etiopatogenia de la neuropatía epidémica en Cuba.

During the epidemic of neuropathy occurred in Cuba from 1992 to 1994 viral agents antigenically related to the Coxsackie viruses were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of patients. To establish a function of these viruses in the etiopathogeny of the disease, strains 47/93 IPK identified as Coxsackie A9 and the strain 44/93 of light cytopathic effect were selected to conduct a study of their antigenic characteristics by Western Blot. It was proved that there is an antigenic relationship between both strains and it was also demonstrated the absence of structural proteins in their native form among the agents of light cytopathic effect. According to these results, it is stated the possibility that persistance may be a mechanism through which these viruses take part in the etiopathogeny of epidemic neuropathy in Cuba.