Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019
Abstract Background Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is worldwide one of the leading causes of acute respiratory tract infections in young children and the elderly population. Two distinct subtypes of HRSV (A and B) and a multitude of genotypes have been described. The laboratory of Clinical...
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2024-10-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-024-02542-4 |
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| author | Kaat Ramaekers Els Keyaerts Lieselot Houspie Kurt Beuselinck Marijke Reynders Katrien Lagrou Marc Van Ranst Annabel Rector |
| author_facet | Kaat Ramaekers Els Keyaerts Lieselot Houspie Kurt Beuselinck Marijke Reynders Katrien Lagrou Marc Van Ranst Annabel Rector |
| author_sort | Kaat Ramaekers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is worldwide one of the leading causes of acute respiratory tract infections in young children and the elderly population. Two distinct subtypes of HRSV (A and B) and a multitude of genotypes have been described. The laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology (KU Leuven/University Hospitals Leuven) has a long-standing history of HRSV surveillance in Belgium. Methods In this study, the seasonal circulation of HRSV in Belgium was monitored during 8 consecutive seasons prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (2011–2012 until 2018–2019). By use of a multiplex quantitative real time PCR panel, 27,386 respiratory samples were tested for HRSV. Further subtyping and sequencing of the HRSV positive samples was performed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. The prevalence and positivity rate were estimated in 4 distinct age groups and the circulating strains of each subtype were situated in a global context and in reference to the described genotypes in literature. Results HRSV circulated in Belgium in a yearly re-occurring pattern during the winter months and both HRSV subtypes co-circulated simultaneously. All HRSV-B strains contained the 60 nt duplication in the HVR2 region of the G gene. Strains of subtype HRSV-A with a 72 nt duplication in the HVR2 region were first observed during the 2011–2012 season and replaced all other circulating strains from 2014 to 2015 onwards. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a6c2d3dd975c40fd90f80fdf7b06acba |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1743-422X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | Virology Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-a6c2d3dd975c40fd90f80fdf7b06acba2025-08-20T02:18:24ZengBMCVirology Journal1743-422X2024-10-0121111210.1186/s12985-024-02542-4Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019Kaat Ramaekers0Els Keyaerts1Lieselot Houspie2Kurt Beuselinck3Marijke Reynders4Katrien Lagrou5Marc Van Ranst6Annabel Rector7Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU LeuvenLaboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU LeuvenLaboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU LeuvenDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals LeuvenUnit of Molecular Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Algemeen Ziekenhuis Sint-JanDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, University Hospitals LeuvenLaboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU LeuvenLaboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU LeuvenAbstract Background Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is worldwide one of the leading causes of acute respiratory tract infections in young children and the elderly population. Two distinct subtypes of HRSV (A and B) and a multitude of genotypes have been described. The laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology (KU Leuven/University Hospitals Leuven) has a long-standing history of HRSV surveillance in Belgium. Methods In this study, the seasonal circulation of HRSV in Belgium was monitored during 8 consecutive seasons prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (2011–2012 until 2018–2019). By use of a multiplex quantitative real time PCR panel, 27,386 respiratory samples were tested for HRSV. Further subtyping and sequencing of the HRSV positive samples was performed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. The prevalence and positivity rate were estimated in 4 distinct age groups and the circulating strains of each subtype were situated in a global context and in reference to the described genotypes in literature. Results HRSV circulated in Belgium in a yearly re-occurring pattern during the winter months and both HRSV subtypes co-circulated simultaneously. All HRSV-B strains contained the 60 nt duplication in the HVR2 region of the G gene. Strains of subtype HRSV-A with a 72 nt duplication in the HVR2 region were first observed during the 2011–2012 season and replaced all other circulating strains from 2014 to 2015 onwards.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-024-02542-4Human respiratory syncytial virusBelgiumSeasonalityEpidemiologyRespiratory health |
| spellingShingle | Kaat Ramaekers Els Keyaerts Lieselot Houspie Kurt Beuselinck Marijke Reynders Katrien Lagrou Marc Van Ranst Annabel Rector Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 Virology Journal Human respiratory syncytial virus Belgium Seasonality Epidemiology Respiratory health |
| title | Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| title_full | Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| title_fullStr | Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| title_short | Epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in Belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| title_sort | epidemiology and genetic diversity of human respiratory syncytial virus in belgium between 2011 and 2019 |
| topic | Human respiratory syncytial virus Belgium Seasonality Epidemiology Respiratory health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-024-02542-4 |
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