Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) is one of the main causes of acute respiratory tract infections in children. HPIVs have been grouped into four serotypes (HPIV1~HPIV4) according to serological and genetic variation. Different serotypes of HPIVs have diverse clinical disease spectrum, epidemic characteristics and disease burden. Based on the nucleotide variation in structural protein genes, HPIVs can be further divided into distinct genotypes and subtypes with diverse temporal and spatial distribution features. The standard molecular typing methods are helpful to clarify the gene evolution and transmission patterns of HPIVs in the process of population transmission. However, the development of molecular epidemiology of HPIVs has been hindered by the lack of a standardized molecular typing method worldwide. Therefore, this study reviewed the viral characteristics, genome structure, existing genotyping methods and evolution of HPIVs, and screened the reference strains for molecular typing, so as to improve the understanding of gene characteristics and molecular typing of HPIVs, and provide an important scientific basis for the monitoring and research of molecular epidemiology of HPIVs in China.
人副流感病毒（HPIVs）是引起儿童急性呼吸道感染的主要病原体之一，根据其血清学及基因组特征，可分为HPIV1~HPIV4四种血清型别。不同血清型HPIVs导致的临床疾病谱、流行特征和疾病负担都有所不同。基于病毒结构蛋白基因的核苷酸差异，HPIVs可进一步划分为具有不同时空分布特征的基因型和基因亚型。标准的分子分型方法有助于阐明HPIVs在人群传播过程中的基因进化和传播模式，然而，由于国内外至今未建立统一且标准化的分子分型方法，阻碍了对HPIVs分子流行病学的研究。因此，本研究就HPIVs的病毒特征、基因组结构、现有的基因分型方法及进化加以综述，并筛选出分子分型参考株，以完善对HPIVs基因特征以及分子分型的认识，为我国开展HPIVs分子流行病监测和研究提供重要的科学依据。.