克沙奇病毒，又称柯萨奇病毒，分类上属于微小核糖核酸病毒科(Picornaviridae)、肠道病毒属(Enterovirus)的成员之一，依感染新生幼鼠之临床症状与组织病理特性分成A、B两群。克沙奇病毒A群(Group A coxsackievirus, CVA)包含23种血清型(serotype)，主要感染未成熟的小鼠肌细胞，造成广泛性的肌肉发炎诸如肌炎(myositis)及无力肢体麻痹症(flaccid paralysis)等。克沙奇病毒B群(Group B coxsackievirus, CVB)包含6种血清型，能造成新生幼鼠全身性多重器官及组织感染，包括心脏、胰脏、肝脏、肾上腺组织及中枢神经系统等，临床上与多种新生儿疾病有关，包括病毒性心肌炎(viral myocarditis)、脑膜脑炎(meningoencephalitis)、肝炎(hepatitis)、肺炎(pneumonitis)及凝血病变(coagulopathy)等。

Coxsackievirus is a virus that belongs to a family of nonenveloped, linear, positive-sense ssRNA viruses, Picornaviridae and the genus Enterovirus, which also includes poliovirus and echovirus. Enteroviruses are among the most common and important human pathogens, and ordinarily its members are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Coxsackieviruses share many characteristics with poliovirus. With control of poliovirus infections in much of the world, more attention has been focused on understanding the nonpolio enteroviruses such as coxsackievirus.