Molecular epidemiology of WU polyomavirus in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection in China

Future Microbiol. 2017 May:12:481-489. doi: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0144. Epub 2017 May 8.

Abstract

Aim: To explore the molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Washington University polyomavirus (WUPyV) infection in pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections in China.

Materials & methods: A laboratory surveillance was performed to recruit pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections. WUPyV was detected using real-time PCR and complete genome was sequenced for randomly selected positive nasopharyngeal aspirate.

Results: Altogether 122 (7.5%) of 1617 children found to be infected with WUPyV and 88 (72.1%) were coinfected with other viruses during 2012-2015. The phylogenetic analysis showed that 14 strains from our study formed two new clusters (Id and IIIc) within the Branch I and Branch III, respectively.

Conclusion: WUPyV is persistently circulating in China. Surveillance on WUPyV infection in wider areas and long persistence is warranted.

Keywords: China; WU polyomavirus; acute respiratory tract infection; epidemiology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • China / epidemiology
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Nasopharynx / virology
  • Phylogeny
  • Polyomavirus / genetics*
  • Polyomavirus / isolation & purification
  • Polyomavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Polyomavirus Infections / virology
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Tumor Virus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Tumor Virus Infections / virology

Substances

  • DNA, Viral