ABSTRACT
Since 1992, human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are classied in the family Picornaviridae. HPeVs show resemblances to human enteroviruses (HEVs) with respect to genome structure, clinical spectrum, and growth in cell culture. Infections with HPeV1 and HPeV2, previously known as echovirus 22 and 23, used to be part of enterovirus diagnostics by cell culture and neutralization with antibody pools. However, the nucleotide sequences of the HPeVs are relatively distinct from the HEVs, and separate molecular techniques are necessary to detect HPeVs. The identication of HPeV3 in 2004 further underlined the need for adequate HPeV-specic molecular techniques. Not only was this new HPeV type associated with neonatal sepsis, it was also easily missed in cell culture and therefore underdiagnosed. The development of molecular methods has led to a rapid expansion of the group of HPeV that now contains 14 genotypes.
