What is the Difference Between Coxsackie A and B

The key difference between Coxsackie A and B is that Coxsackie A is an enterovirus mainly responsible for the hand-foot and mouth disease in infants. At the same time, Coxsackie B is an enterovirus primarily responsible for cardiovascular complications like myocarditis and aseptic meningitis in infants.

Coxsackieviruses are part of the enterovirus family of viruses. The other viruses that belong to this enterovirus family include polioviruses and hepatitis A virus. Coxsackie viral infection is highest among infants and kids younger than 5. The viral infection of this virus is very contagious and can pass from person to person on unwashed hands and contaminated surfaces. Coxsackie A and B are two different strains of the Coxsackieviruses.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Coxsackie A  
3. What is Coxsackie B
4. Similarities – Coxsackie A and B
5. Coxsackie A vs. B in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Coxsackie A vs. B

What is Coxsackie A?

Coxsackie A is a strain of the Coxsackieviruses, which is small, non-enveloped, and has positive-sense, single-stranded RNA. It has a protective icosahedral capsid with external and internal portions. The external portion contains sixty copies of viral proteins (VP1,-2,-3), while the internal portion surrounds the RNA genome. The RNA genome contains sixty copies of VP4 viral proteins. Coxsackie A is mainly responsible for the hand-foot and mouth disease syndrome in infants. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is common in children under five, but anyone can get it as it is highly contagious. This virus spreads by direct contact with discharges of an infected person’s nose and throat, blisters, and feces. It also causes a blister-like rash on the hands, feet, and mouth. The other symptoms of this condition may include fever, poor appetite, runny nose, and sore throat.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is diagnosed through blister-like rash on hands and feet, and mouth in children, blood tests, and viral tests (PCR test). Furthermore, treatment options for hand, foot, and mouth disease include paracetamol, antiviral drugs such as pleconaril, resting, and plenty of fluids.

What is Coxsackie B?

Coxsackie B is a strain of the Coxsackieviruses that consists of positive-sense single-stranded RNA molecules of 7,200 to 7,400 nucleotides. It is a pathogenic enterovirus that triggers illnesses ranging from gastrointestinal distress to pericarditis, myocarditis, and aseptic meningitis or encephalitis. Geographically, this virus is mainly found in parts of the United States. Though this viral infection occurs in all age groups, it is more common in young children and infants.

The transmission of this virus is by oral-fecal route or oral-oral route through respiratory droplets. The symptoms of Coxsackie B viral infection may include fever, headache, sore throat, gastrointestinal distress, extreme fatigue,  chest and muscle pain, spasms in arms and legs, permanent heart damage or death, meningeal symptoms,  and unexpected sudden death. This viral infection is diagnosed through serological tests such as ELISA, cell culture, and PCR testing. Furthermore, treatment options for Coxsackie B viral infection may include symptomatic and supportive care, antiviral medicines like fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, enviroxime, pleconaril, and hizentra (immunoglobulin),  antiepileptics for seizures and sedation for delirium,  immunosuppressive agents (azathioprine, prednisone, and cyclosporine), and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for viral myocarditis.

What are the Similarities Between Coxsackie A and B?

• Coxsackie A and B are two different strains of Coxsackieviruses.
• Both are pathogenic viruses.
• They possess a positive sense, single-stranded RNA genome.
• Both mainly cause infections in infants and young children.
• The infections of both viruses can be diagnosed through serological studies and PCR testing.
• The infections of both viruses can be treated through supportive care and antiviral medications.

What is the Difference Between Coxsackie A and B?

Coxsackie A is an enterovirus that causes hand-foot and mouth disease in infants. At the same time, Coxsackie B is an enterovirus that causes cardiovascular complications like myocarditis and aseptic meningitis in infants. Thus, this is the key difference between Coxsackie A and B. Furthermore, the genome size of Coxsackie A is approximately 7,400 bp. On the other hand, the genome size of Coxsackie B is approximately 7,200 to 7,400 bp.

The infographic below presents the differences between Coxsackie A and B in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Coxsackie A vs. B

Coxsackieviruses are enteroviruses belonging to the genus Enterovirus and the family of Picornaviridae. These viruses are non-enveloped and have linear, positive-sense single-stranded RNA genomes. Coxsackie A and B are two different strains of the Coxsackieviruses. Coxsackie A and B are pathogenic viruses responsible for infections, mainly in infants and young children. However, Coxsackie A especially causes the syndrome of hand-foot and mouth disease in infants, while Coxsackie B specifically causes cardiovascular complications like pericarditis, myocarditis, and aseptic meningitis or encephalitis in infants. So, this summarizes the difference between Coxsackie A and B.

Reference:

1. “Coxsackie a Virus.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. “Coxsackievirus B.” Office of Research.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Coxsackievirus infection on skin” By VORON SPb – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Coxsackie B4 virus” (CC0) via Picryl