echovirus

echovirus /echo·vi·rus/ (ek´o-vi?rus) an enterovirus isolated from humans, separable into many serotypes, certain of which are associated with human disease, especially aseptic meningitis.

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ech·o·vi·rus (k-vrs) or ECHO virus (k)

n.

Any of a number of retroviruses of the family Picornaviridae, inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract and associated with various diseases, such as viral meningitis, mild respiratory infections, and severe diarrhea in newborns.

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echovirus

some viruses, which were originally considered nonpathogenic, in the family Picornaviridae, genus Enterovirus. The name is derived from the first letters of the description 'enteric cytopathogenic human orphan', but similar viruses ECBO and ECPO (for bovine and porcine, respectively, and other species) are also recognized. At the time of the isolation of the viruses the diseases they caused were not known, hence the term 'orphan', but it is now known that some of these viruses produce many different types of human disease, especially aseptic meningitis, and diarrhea and various respiratory diseases. The members of the group are now included in the enteroviruses.