Coxsackie B antigen in the central nervous system of a patient with fatal acute encephalitis: immunohistochemical studies of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue.

A case of fatal acute encephalitis due to Coxsackie B1 virus is described. Confirmation of Coxsackie B virus as the etiological agent of encephalitis was based on identification of the virus antigen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. In the past, the diagnosis was obtained by serological studies of peripheral blood and viral isolation. This is the first report in which indirect immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase methods using rabbit antiserum raised against Coxsackie B types 1-6 was utilized in determining the etiology of encephalitis. It must be emphasized that these methods can be used both on biopsy or autopsy specimens, even retrospectively.