Biomedical Research

We investigated the epidemiological patterns and genetic variation of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) isolated from Chungnam, Korea, during 2011-2014. It was screened 3,531 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples from patients with acute respiratory symptoms for HRSV and other respiratory viruses by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Temporal distribution of the HRSV epidemic showed seasonal prevalence for early winter and mainly founded in children’s less than 3 years of age. Ninety-two (29.8%) HRSV-positive patients were co-infected with other respiratory viruses including human rhinovirus, adenovirus, and human bocavirus. In phylogenetic analysis of the isolated strains based on G-protein gene sequences, only one isolate (CNA013- 11/07-2011/Korea) was the GA5 genotype, 17 were the NA1 genotype, and all strains isolated after 2012 belonged to the ON1 genotype among the 47 HRSV-A strains. All 18 HRSV-B strains isolated in this study belonged to the BA4 genotype. Continued studies on HRSV epidemiology and genetic diversity of circulating HRSV isolates are necessary to facilitate the development of efficacious vaccines and antiviral agents.

Author(s): Kwisung Park, Donguk Kim, Jeongmin Seong, Inchul Shin, Jayoung Hong, Seongmin Park, Shien-Young Kang, Hyekyung Lee
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