First evidence of enterovirus A71 and echovirus 30 in Uruguay and genetic relationship with strains circulating in the South American region

PLoS One. 2021 Aug 12;16(8):e0255846. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255846. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Human enteroviruses (EVs) comprise more than 100 types of coxsackievirus, echovirus, poliovirus and numbered enteroviruses, which are mainly transmitted by the faecal-oral route leading to diverse diseases such as aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, and acute flaccid paralysis, among others. Since enteroviruses are excreted in faeces, wastewater-based epidemiology approaches are useful to describe EV diversity in a community. In Uruguay, knowledge about enteroviruses is extremely limited. This study assessed the diversity of enteroviruses through Illumina next-generation sequencing of VP1-amplicons obtained by RT-PCR directly applied to viral concentrates of 84 wastewater samples collected in Uruguay during 2011-2012 and 2017-2018. Fifty out of the 84 samples were positive for enteroviruses. There were detected 27 different types belonging to Enterovirus A species (CVA2-A6, A10, A16, EV-A71, A90), Enterovirus B species (CVA9, B1-B5, E1, E6, E11, E14, E21, E30) and Enterovirus C species (CVA1, A13, A19, A22, A24, EV-C99). Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and echovirus 30 (E30) strains were studied more in depth through phylogenetic analysis, together with some strains previously detected by us in Argentina. Results unveiled that EV-A71 sub-genogroup C2 circulates in both countries at least since 2011-2012, and that the C1-like emerging variant recently entered in Argentina. We also confirmed the circulation of echovirus 30 genotypes E and F in Argentina, and reported the detection of genotype E in Uruguay. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of the EV-A71 C1-like emerging variant in South-America, and the first report of EV-A71 and E30 in Uruguay.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / metabolism
  • Enterovirus A, Human / classification
  • Enterovirus A, Human / genetics*
  • Enterovirus A, Human / isolation & purification
  • Enterovirus B, Human / classification
  • Enterovirus B, Human / genetics*
  • Enterovirus B, Human / isolation & purification
  • Enterovirus C, Human / classification
  • Enterovirus C, Human / genetics
  • Enterovirus C, Human / isolation & purification
  • Genetic Linkage / genetics*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / chemistry
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / metabolism
  • Seasons
  • South America
  • Uruguay
  • Wastewater / virology

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • RNA, Viral
  • Wastewater

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.14331215.v2
  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.14854437.v1