Influenza B-associated Reye syndrome: report of a case with isolation of a coxsackie A5 virus from CSF.

A 16 month old girl developed Reye syndrome a few days after an episode of influenza. The diagnosis of RS was made on clinical and laboratory data. Virological examinations were done on specimens of stools, throat swab, spinal fluid and two samples of serum. A coxsackievirus A5 was isolated from the spinal fluid. A seroconversion was found against the variant of influenza type B virus circulating in our region at that time and the isolated coxsackie A5 strain. The involvement in the CNS of coxsackie A5 and the demonstration of a simultaneous infection with influenza B virus supports the hypothesis that a mixed viral infection could trigger the Reye syndrome.