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Prevalence and genetic characterization of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in hospitalized children in Korea

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Abstract

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the most common respiratory pathogen among infants and young children. To investigate the prevalence and genetic characteristics of HRSVs circulating in South Korea, we analyzed medical records of patients and performed molecular analysis of the G-protein gene of viruses detected from nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) of admitted patients at the Pediatrics Department of Chungbuk National University Hospital from April 2008 to April 2010. Epidemiological data revealed that the prevalence of HRSV infection was high during both winter seasons (October 2008 to February 2009 and November 2009 to February 2010). Of the 297 positive NPA specimens from infants or children tested, 67% were identified as HRSV-A while 33% were HRSV-B. The HRSV subgroup B was the most dominant in December 2008, but its dominance was dramatically replaced by HRSV subgroup A strains by February 2009. Phylogenetic analysis of the G protein sequences of HRSVs revealed novel genotypes within the HRSV-A (genotype CB-A) and B (genotypes BA11 and CB-B) subgroups in South Korea in addition to other strains identified in other countries. Molecular analysis also revealed genetic variability at the C-terminal end of the G proteins of the two HRSV subgroups, suggesting selection pressure in this region, which may potentially impact immune recognition. This is the first report of these HRSV variants in South Korea, indicating active genetic evolution of HRSV strains. Therefore, this study provides information on the molecular epidemiology of current HRSVs in the country and presents data for comparative analysis with other HRSV strains circulating worldwide.

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Acknowledgments

This research work was supported in part by an internal fund from Chungbuk National University in 2011 and by grant 2011-0026289 from the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Medicine and Medical Research Institute, Chungbuk National University, 12 Gaeshin-Dong Heungduk-Ku, Cheongju, 361-763, Republic of Korea

    Yun Hee Baek, Eun Hye Choi, Min-Suk Song, Philippe Noriel Q. Pascua, Hyeok-il Kwon, Su-Jin Park, Jun Han Lee, Sung-Il Woo, Heon-Seok Han, Yoon-Soo Hahn, Kyeong-Seob Shin, Hae-Lan Jang, Seok-Yong Kim & Young-Ki Choi

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Chungbuk National University Hospital, 12 Gaeshin-Dong Heungduk-Ku, Cheongju, 361-763, Republic of Korea

    Sung-Il Woo, Byung-Hoon Ahn, Heon-Seok Han & Yoon-Soo Hahn

  3. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, 12 Gaeshin-Dong Heungduk-Ku, Cheongju, 361-763, Republic of Korea

    Kyeong-Seob Shin

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  1. Yun Hee Baek
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Correspondence to Young-Ki Choi.

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Baek, Y.H., Choi, E.H., Song, MS. et al. Prevalence and genetic characterization of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in hospitalized children in Korea. Arch Virol 157, 1039–1050 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-012-1267-1

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