This report provides the findings of a retrospective surveillance study on the emergence and circulation of enteroviruses with their associated clinical symptoms over a nine-year period detected at the National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory in Hungary between 2010-2018.Enterovirus (EV) detection and genotyping were performed directly from clinical samples. From 4,080 clinical specimens 25 EV types were identified with a median age of patients of 5 years and 68% of all cases affected children aged 10 years or younger, although infections occurred in all age-groups. In 130 cases neurological symptoms were recorded, in 123 cases the infection presented in skin related signs including hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), herpangina and rash. In 2010 EV-A71 was found to cause the majority of diagnosed EV infections while in 2011 and from 2014-2018, Coxsackievirus (CV)-A6 was identified most often. Echovirus E6 accounted for the most cases in 2012 and Echovirus 30 dominated in 2013. EV-D68 was identified only in 2010 and 2013.Widespread circulation of several EV-A and EV-B viruses with occasional occurrence of EV-C and EV-D was detected. The ability of EVs to cause severe infections in sporadic cases and regular outbreaks highlight the importance of continued monitoring of circulating EV types.
Keywords: Enterovirus; HFMD; Hungary; direct detection; neurological infection.