Sequences specific for enterovirus detected in spinal cord from patients with motor neurone disease

21 human subjects, including 13 cases of motor neurone disease (11 sporadic, 2 familial), 1 case of acute poliomyelitis, 1 case of antecedent poliomyelitis, and 6 age- and sex-matched controls. Specimens were collected in the west of Scotland and in London between 1982 and 1992.

6 age- and sex-matched controls (histopathologically normal or physical injury) with no clinical evidence of neurodegenerative disease.

Detection of sequences specific for enterovirus in spinal cord tissue using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a 414 base RNA target sequence in the conserved enterovirus 5' untranslated region.