Genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus isolated among children with acute respiratory infections in Southern Cameroon during three consecutive epidemic seasons, 2011–2013

Abstract Background Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main viral cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children. The aim of this study was to describe for the first time the genetic variability of HRSV in Cameroonian patients living in Yaounde for three c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tropical Medicine and Health
Main Authors: Sebastien Kenmoe, Marie-Astrid Vernet, Fabien Miszczak, Julia Dina, Matthieu Schoenhals, Véronique Penlap Beng, Astrid Vabret, Richard Njouom
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018
Subjects:
Cameroon
Genetic characterization
Human respiratory syncytial virus
Molecular epidemiology
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Arctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-018-0088-7
https://doaj.org/article/de9ed8637eac4124a0282da1504162c0
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Summary:Abstract Background Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main viral cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children. The aim of this study was to describe for the first time the genetic variability of HRSV in Cameroonian patients living in Yaounde for three consecutive epidemic seasons. Methods HRSV-positive nasopharyngeal samples detected in children less than 15 years in Yaounde were collected from September 2011 to December 2013. Semi-nested RT-PCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses of the second hypervariable region of the G gene were performed. Results A total of 57 HRSV-positive samples were collected during the study period. Among these, 46 (80.7%) could be amplified in the G gene. HRSV group A (HRSV-A) and group B (HRSV-B) co-circulated in this population at 17.4 and 82.6%, respectively. HRSV-A strains clustered in the NA-1 genotype while HRSV-B strains clustered in the BA-9 genotype. HRSV-A strains accounted for 33.3% (2/6), 4.3% (1/23), and 29.4% (5/17) of the viruses isolated in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. Conclusions This study reports molecular epidemiology data of HRSV in Cameroon for the first time. Additional studies are required to clarify evolutionary patterns of HRSV throughout sub-Saharan Africa to support antiviral and vaccine development.

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