Enteroviruses and Enteric Viruses

The Enterovirus and Enteric Virus Section provides reference diagnostics, molecular surveillance, outbreak investigations and research on poliovirus, non-polio enteroviruses, human parechoviruses and other clinically relevant enteric viruses. Section also develops, evaluates and improves molecular techniques to enhance diagnostic and surveillance services. Non-polio enteroviruses can cause a wide spectrum of human illness ranging from mild, non-specific fever and rash to upper respiratory tract infections to more severe disease including myocarditis, aseptic meningitis, encephalitis and acute flaccid myelitis. The section genotypes non-polio enteroviruses and other enteric viruses to support Canada’s polio-free status and to monitor for new emerging viruses of public health concern (i.e., enterovirus A71 and enterovirus D68).

The Polio Unit within this section is Canada’s only WHO/PAHO accredited Regional Reference lab for poliovirus and it is a member of the Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN). To support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the unit performs polio detection and molecular characterization on stool samples collected from cases of acute flaccid paralysis (a major clinical presentation of polio) or any case where there is a clinical suspicion of polio. The sections work is essential to ensure Canada’s ongoing national certification of polio eradication and for the laboratory containment of poliovirus as outlined in the Global Action Plan IV for poliovirus containment.