Enteroviruses and Enteric Viruses

The Polio and Enterovirus Section is accredited as a PAHO/WHO Polio Regional Reference Laboratory and member of the WHO global polio laboratory network. It provides reference diagnostics, molecular typing and surveillance of clinically relevant human polio virus, non-polio enterovirus, hepatitis A viruses, rotavirus, norovirus and other human gastroenteritis virus infections in Canada. All cases of acute flaccid paralysis should have a stool sample taken and sent to us for virus isolation and typing to rule out the presence of polio virus. Enteroviruses (including non-polio enteroviruses such as coxsackie and echo viruses) commonly cause diseases such as cardiomyopathy, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and aseptic meningitis. The section types isolates of non-polio enterovirus in order to ensure Canada’s polio free status and to carry out surveillance on emerging enterovirus infections of concern such as EV-71. As a key component of Canada’s polio and acute flaccid paralysis surveillance program, to support of the global polio eradication program, the section is responsible for poliovirus typing and molecular intratypic identification to distinguish wild polio strains from vaccine or vaccine-derived strains. The section’s work is essential to ensure national certification of polio eradication, and for the laboratory containment of wild polio viruses.