Molecular epidemiology of human metapneumovirus from 2005 to 2011 in Fukui, Japan

Jpn J Infect Dis. 2013;66(1):56-9. doi: 10.7883/yoken.66.56.

Abstract

To investigate the molecular epidemiology of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in acute respiratory infections (ARI), we performed genetic analysis of the F gene in HMPV from patients with ARI in Fukui Prefecture from August 2005 to July 2011. HMPV was detected in 53 of 741 nasopharyngeal swabs (7.2%). Phylogenetic analysis helped us assign 31 strains to subgroup A2, 1 strain to subgroup B1, and 21 strains to subgroup B2. The prevalence of HMPV was peaked between January and June. A high degree of nucleotide identity was seen among subgroup A2 strains (95.6-100%) and subgroup B2 strains (97.5-100%). In addition, no positively selected sites (substitutions) were found in the F gene in these HMPV strains. The results suggest that the prevalent HMPV strains in Fukui were associated with various ARI in Japan during the investigation period.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Metapneumovirus / classification
  • Metapneumovirus / genetics*
  • Metapneumovirus / isolation & purification
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Nasopharynx / virology*
  • Paramyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Paramyxoviridae Infections / virology
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
  • Seasons
  • Viral Proteins / genetics*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Viral Proteins