Human respiratory syncytial virus causes severe lower respiratory tract infection in neonates and children. Genotype ON1, with duplication of 72-nt in the G gene, was first detected in Canada and then recorded in other countries. In the current study, we describe the first detection of the ON1 genotype among children in Egypt in 2014/2015. Sequence analysis of the full-attachment G gene revealed that the majority of the strains examined were related to the ON1 genotype and only one sample related to N1 genotype. The Egyptian ON1 strains showed unique non-silent mutations in addition to variable mutations near the antigenic sites in comparison to the original ON1 ancestor strain. Continuous surveillance of hRSV regionally and globally is needed to understand the evolutionary mechanisms and strategies adopted by hRSV and their inducers for better adaption to the host.
Keywords: Egyptian; ON1 genotype; children; hRSVA; respiratory syncytial virus; respiratory tract infection.