Different circulation patterns of subgroups A and B of human respiratory syncytial virus in some provinces of Cuba

• Published in: Revista cubana de medicina tropical Vol. 56; no. 2; pp. 94 - 102
• Main Authors: Ramirez, Odalys Valdés, Savón, Clara, Goyenechea, Angel, Valdivia, Angel, González, Grehete, Palerm, Lídice, Melero, José A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Cuba 01-05-2004
• Subjects: Base Sequence; Cuba; GTP-Binding Proteins - genetics; Humans; Infant; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - classification; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - genetics; Cuba
• ISSN: 0375-0760

The nucleotide sequencing of the protein G C-terminal region of 37 samples taken from nasopharyngeal washings of under one-year old children from some Cuban provinces was made for 5 epidemic periods (1995-2000) to find out the circulation patterns of strains of human respiratory syncytial virus that is classified in two antigenic subgroups known as A and B; each of them contains multiple variants. Subgroup A has circulated during all these years but subgroup B was detected only in the year 2000. The presence of strains with two different sizes of protein G (297 aa and 298 aa) was observed whereas subgroup B showed only one size (295 aa). Phylogenetic analysis allowed identifying 5 and 2 genotypes within subgroups A and B respectively. Viruses present in Cuba were phylogenetically related to the strains of other parts of the world. Subgroup A comprised two strains very similar to Long prototype strain. Almost all the strains of both subgroups in the year 2000 phylogenetically related with strains that circulated in South Africa during the same period.