Original Article
Epidemiology and molecular biology of respiratory syncytial virus among hospitalized children in Guangzhou from 2013 to 2017
Zou Lirong, Li Zhencui, Zhong Zhifeng, Liang Lijun, Song Yingchao, Wu Jie
Published 2020-03-06
Cite as Chin J Prev Med, 2020,54(03): 294-300. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-9624.2020.03.010
Abstract
ObjectiveTo understand the genetic variation and epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in Guangzhou.
MethodsNasopharyngeal swabs specimens were collected from 0-6 year old children hospitalized with acute respiratory infection, then HRSV was tested and genotyped by RT-PCR. Phylogenetic tree was bulit using MEGA 6.0 software. NetNGlyc 1.0 server was used to predict the potential N-linked glycosylation sites.
ResultsA total of 1 225 nasopharyngeal specimens were collected, including 783 males and 442 females. The median (P25, P75) age was 8 (3, 24) months. Among the 209 HRSV-positive cases (17.06%), 117 cases (55.98%) were HRSV-A and 92 cases (44.02%) were HRSV-B. The two distinct subgroups (HRSV-A and HRSV-B) alternately played dominant role to cause HRSV infection and exchange almost once every two years. The HRSV prevalence rate decreased with age. The HRSV-positive rate among children under 2 years old was 18.83% (196 cases), accounting for 93.78% of the total positive cases. There were 32 HRSV positive cases co-infected with at least one respiratory virus, with the co-infection rate of 15.31%. Phylogenetic tree analysis of the second hypervariable region (HVR2) of the G protein classified the HRSV-A specimens into ON1 (n=62) and NA1 (n=2) genotypes while all HRSV-B specimens belonged to BA genotype (n=53). The HVR2 of the G protein varied in using stop condon, amino acid substitutions, glycosylation sites.
ConclusionChildren under 2 years old were the high risk population of HRSV infection in Guangzhou. ON1 genotype turned into a primary genetype of the HRSV-A subgroup while BA genotype dominated the HRSV-B subgroup. A greater diversification of amino acid substitutions, and some deletion and insertion of glycosylation sites embodied the polymorphism of G protein as main protective antigen.
Key words:
Respiratory syncytial virus, human; Genetic variation; Epidemiology; Genetype
Contributor Information
Zou Lirong
Institute of Pathogenic Microbiology, Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 511430, China
Li Zhencui
Zhong Zhifeng
Liang Lijun
Song Yingchao
Wu Jie