Molecular characterization of emerging Echovirus 11 (E11) shed light on the recombinant origin of a variant associated with severe hepatitis in neonates.

Echovirus 11 (E11) has gained attention owing to its association with severe neonatal infections. Due to the limited data available, the World Health Organization (WHO) considers public health risk to the general population to be low. The present study investigated the genetic variation and molecular evolution of E11 genomes collected from May to December 2023. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for 16 E11 strains. Phylogenetic analysis on WG showed how all Italian strains belonged to genogroup D5, similarly to other E11 strains recently reported in France and Germany all together aggregated into separate clusters. A cluster-specific recombination pattern was also identified using phylogenetic analysis of different genome regions. Echovirus 6 was identified as the major recombinant virus in 3Cpro and 3Dpol regions. The molecular clock analysis revealed that the recombination event probably occurred in June 2018 (95% HPD interval: Jan 2016-Jan 2020). Shannon entropy analyses, within P1 region, showed how 11 amino acids exhibited relatively high entropy. Five of them were exposed on the canyon region which is responsible for receptor binding with the neonatal Fc receptor. The present study showed the recombinant origin of a new lineage of E11 associated with severe neonatal infections.

Genomic surveillance of enterovirus associated with aseptic meningitis cases in southern Spain, 2015-2018.

New circulating Enterovirus (EV) strains often emerge through recombination. Upsurges of recombinant non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) associated with neurologic manifestations such as EVA71 or Echovirus 30 (E30) are a growing public health concern in Europe. Only a few complete genomes of EVs circulating in Spain are available in public databases, making it difficult to address the emergence of recombinant EVs, understand their evolutionary relatedness and the possible implication in human disease. We have used metagenomic (untargeted) NGS to generate full-length EV genomes from CSF samples of EV-positive aseptic meningitis cases in Southern Spain between 2015 and 2018. Our analyses reveal the co-circulation of multiple Enterovirus B (EV-B) types (E6, E11, E13 and E30), including a novel E13 recombinant form. We observed a genetic turnover where emergent lineages (C1 for E6 and I [tentatively proposed in this study] for E30) replaced previous lineages circulating in Spain, some concomitant with outbreaks in other parts of Europe. Metagenomic sequencing provides an effective approach for the analysis of EV genomes directly from PCR-positive CSF samples. The detection of a novel, disease-associated, recombinant form emphasizes the importance of genomic surveillance to monitor spread and evolution of EVs.

First evidence of enterovirus A71 and echovirus 30 in Uruguay and genetic relationship with strains circulating in the South American region.

Human enteroviruses (EVs) comprise more than 100 types of coxsackievirus, echovirus, poliovirus and numbered enteroviruses, which are mainly transmitted by the faecal-oral route leading to diverse diseases such as aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, and acute flaccid paralysis, among others. Since enteroviruses are excreted in faeces, wastewater-based epidemiology approaches are useful to describe EV diversity in a community. In Uruguay, knowledge about enteroviruses is extremely limited. This study assessed the diversity of enteroviruses through Illumina next-generation sequencing of VP1-amplicons obtained by RT-PCR directly applied to viral concentrates of 84 wastewater samples collected in Uruguay during 2011-2012 and 2017-2018. Fifty out of the 84 samples were positive for enteroviruses. There were detected 27 different types belonging to Enterovirus A species (CVA2-A6, A10, A16, EV-A71, A90), Enterovirus B species (CVA9, B1-B5, E1, E6, E11, E14, E21, E30) and Enterovirus C species (CVA1, A13, A19, A22, A24, EV-C99). Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and echovirus 30 (E30) strains were studied more in depth through phylogenetic analysis, together with some strains previously detected by us in Argentina. Results unveiled that EV-A71 sub-genogroup C2 circulates in both countries at least since 2011-2012, and that the C1-like emerging variant recently entered in Argentina. We also confirmed the circulation of echovirus 30 genotypes E and F in Argentina, and reported the detection of genotype E in Uruguay. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of the EV-A71 C1-like emerging variant in South-America, and the first report of EV-A71 and E30 in Uruguay.

Coxsackievirus B4: an underestimated pathogen associated with a hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak.

In order to discover the causes of a coxsackievirus B4 (CV-B4)-associated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak and to study the evolutionary characteristics of the virus, we sequenced isolates obtained during an outbreak for comparative analysis with previously sequenced strains. Phylogenetic and evolutionary dynamics analysis was performed to examine the genetic characteristics of CV-B4 in China and worldwide. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CV-B4 originated from a common ancestor in Shandong. CV-B4 strains isolated worldwide could be classified into genotypes A-E based on the sequence of the VP1 region. All CV-B4 strains in China belonged to genotype E. The global population diversity of CV-B4 fluctuated substantially over time, and CV-B4 isolated in China accounted for a significant increase in the diversity of CV-B4. The average nucleotide substitution rate in VP1 of Chinese CV-B4 (5.20 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year) was slightly higher than that of global CV-B4 (4.82 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year). This study is the first to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of CV-B4 and its association with an HFMD outbreak. These findings explain both the 2011 outbreak and the global increase in CV-B4 diversity. In addition to improving our understanding of a major outbreak, these findings provide a basis for the development of surveillance strategies.

High Heterogeneity of Echoviruses in Brazilian Children with Acute Gastroenteritis.

Echoviruses (E) are a diverse group of viruses responsible for various pathological conditions in humans including aseptic meningitis, myocarditis, and acute flaccid paralysis. The detection and identification of echovirus genotypes in clinical samples is challenging due to its high genetic diversity. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of nine echoviruses, obtained by next-generation sequencing of 238 fecal samples from individuals with gastroenteritis in regions of Brazil. Detected viruses were classified into six genotypes: Three E1 sequences (BRA/TO-028, BRA/TO-069 and BRA/TO-236), one E3 (BRA/TO-018), one E11 (BRA/TO-086), one E20 (BRA/TO-016), two E29 (BRA/TO-030 and BRA/TO-193), and one E30 sequence (BRA/TO-032). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the echoviruses E1 and E29 circulating in Brazil are divergent from strains circulating worldwide. The genotype diversity identified in our study may under-represent the total echovirus diversity in Brazil because of the small sample size and the restricted geographical distribution covered by the survey.

Molecular epidemiology of enteroviruses and predominance of echovirus 30 in an Iranian population with aseptic meningitis.

Human enteroviruses are the most prevalent causes of aseptic meningitis worldwide. However, despite such predominancy, defining the enteroviral etiology of aseptic meningitis remains a diagnostic dilemma for the clinician in Iran. Therefore, this study was conducted to characterize the prevalence and clinical significance of enteroviral aseptic meningitis as well as the predominant enterovirus serotypes among patients with aseptic meningitis in the South of Iran.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were obtained from 73 patients with aseptic meningitis (52.1% males and 47.9% females), ages ranging from 1 month to 88 years. Following the extraction of nucleic acid, the detection of enteroviruses was performed by RT-PCR, targeting the 5' untranslated region of the genome, and sequencing. Enteroviruses were found in 46.6% of samples (34/73). The most predominant serotype was echovirus 30, followed by coxsackievirus B5 and poliovirus type 1 Sabin strain. The enterovirus infections were more prevalent among female patients (58.8%) and those below 5 years of age (52.9%). Although enterovirus infections were observed throughout the year, the infections were more prevalent during autumn with fever as the predominant clinical symptom. The outcomes revealed that enteroviruses are significant causes of aseptic meningitis in the South of Iran, while suspected cases of aseptic meningitis are usually monitored by bacterial culture and biochemical testing of CSF samples. Therefore, the etiology remains unknown in most cases. Molecular detection of viral pathogens should be included as a common approach in the screening of patients with aseptic meningitis to prevent unnecessary treatment and to improve clinical management.

A potential new recombinant echovirus 18 strain detected in a 4-year-old child with encephalitis in China in 2019.

The species Enterovirus B includes diverse serotypes that can cause a wide spectrum of human diseases, such as aseptic encephalitis, myocarditis, and paralysis. In this study, a 4-year-old child was diagnosed with viral encephalitis, but the causative agent could not be identified using routine immunological tests. Using metagenomic RNA sequencing, a novel strain of enterovirus B, strain PC06, was identified, and its genome sequence was determined by RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. The viral genome sequence was most similar to that of echovirus E18 strain E18-HeB15-54498/HeB/CHN/2015 (GenBank accession MG720261), with 87.73% nucleotide sequence identity, while the viral proteins shared 96.98% amino acid sequence identity with those of E18 strain Jena/AN1365/10 (GenBank accession no. KX139452). Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP1 and 3D genes revealed discrepant placement of PC06 in the two trees. In the 3D tree, PC06 formed a separate branch together with other recombinant E18 strains. Further recombination tests revealed that PC06 had possibly undergone recombination at a site between the structural and non-structural regions during its evolutionary history. Based on the analysis of VP1 phylogeny and using online genotyping tools, this potential recombinant is tentatively considered a strain of echovirus 18. This information might contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of related diseases.

Clinical characteristics of echovirus 11 and coxsackievirus B5 infections in Taiwanese children requiring hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: Severe illness can occur in young children infected with certain types of enteroviruses including echovirus 11 (Echo11) and coxsackievirus B5 (CoxB5). The manifestations and outcomes of Echo11 and CoxB5 diseases across all ages of children remained not comprehensively characterized in Taiwan. METHODS: Culture-confirmed Echo11 (60 patients) or CoxB5 (65 patients) infections were identified in a hospital from 2010 to 2018. The demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory data and outcomes were abstracted and compared between the two viruses infections. RESULTS: Echo11 and CoxB5 was respectively identified in 7 (77.8%) and 2 (22.2%) of 9 calendar years. The median age of all patients was 15 months (range, 1 day-14.5 years). For infants ≤3 months old, Echo11 (23 cases) was associated with higher incidence of aseptic meningitis (35% versus 0%, P = 0.003), and a lower rate of upper respiratory tract infections (URI) (22% versus 65%, P = 0.004) compared to CoxB5 (20 cases) infections. For patients >3 months old, URI was the cardinal diagnosis (60%) for both viruses. Aseptic meningitis was also more commonly identified in elder children with Echo11 infections (27% versus 11%), though with marginal significance (P = 0.07). Acute liver failure was identified in four young infants with Echo11 infections including one neonate dying of severe sepsis and myocarditis. All patients with CoxB5 infections recovered uneventfully. CONCLUSION: Aseptic meningitis, sepsis-like illness and acute liver failure were more commonly identified in children with Echo11 than those with CoxB5 infections, suggesting greater neurological tropism and virulence toward Echo11.

Two Natural Recombination gave rise to the Coxsackievirus B3 GV that triggered outbreaks in China in 2006 - 2012.

Coxsackievirus B3 serotype GV caused the epidemic of Coxsackievirus B3 infection in China from 2006 to 2012. To study the evolution and recombination of Coxsackievirus B3 serotype GV, we performed recombination and phylogenetic analysis of 499 complete genomes of Enterovirus B available in GenBank, dated April 2019. Results indicated that most of the strains of Coxsackievirus B3 GV in P1 region were derived from a Coxsackievirus B3 GVI parent, and in P2-3 region from EchoV E25 strain, with nucleotide identities of 97.2% and 94.7%, respectively. Other strains of Coxsackievirus B3 GV-C1 in P1-P2 regions were derived from Coxsackievirus B3 GV-C3, whereas those in P3 regions were from CVB5. These naturally occurring recombination events were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. This study indicates that two naturally occurring recombination gave rise to the coxsackievirus B3 GV that triggered outbreaks in China in 2006 - 2012.

Vagus nerve plays a pivotal role in CD4+ T cell differentiation during CVB3-induced murine acute myocarditis.

Abnormalities in CD4+ T cell (Th cell) differentiation play an important role in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis (VMC). Our previous studies demonstrated that activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) alleviated the inflammatory response. In addition, we observed that right cervical vagotomy aggravates VMC by inhibiting CAP. However, the vagus nerve's effect on differentiation of CD4+ T cells has not been studied in VMC mice to date. In this study, we investigated the effects of cervical vagotomy and the α7nAChR agonist pnu282987 on CD4+ T cell differentiation in a murine myocarditis model (BALB/c) infected with coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). Splenic CD4+ T cells from CVB3-induced mice obtained and cultured to investigate the potential mechanism of CD4+ T cell differentiation. Each Th cell subset was analyzed by flow cytometry. Our results showed that right cervical vagotomy increased proportions of Th1 and Th17 cells and decreased proportions of Th2 and Treg cells in the spleen. Vagotomy-induced upregulation of T-bet, Ror-γ, IFN-γ, and IL-17 expression while downregulating the expression of Gata3, Foxp3, and IL-4 in the heart. In addition, we observed upregulated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, aggravated myocardial lesions and cellular infiltration, and worsened cardiac function in VMC mice. Pnu282987 administration reversed these outcomes. Furthermore, vagotomy inhibited JAK2-STAT3 activation and enhanced NF-κB activation in splenic CD4+ T cells. The CD4+ T cell differentiation was related to JAK2-STAT3 and NF-κB signal pathways. In conclusion, vagus nerve modulates the inflammatory response by regulating CD4+ T cell differentiation in response to VMC.

Diagnostic Performances of Different Genome Amplification Assays for the Detection of Swine Vesicular Disease Virus in Relation to Genomic Lineages That Circulated in Italy.

During the last 25 years, swine vesicular disease (SVD) has occurred in Italy mostly sub-clinically. Therefore, regular testing of fecal samples from suspected holdings and high turnover premises was fundamental to identifying virus circulation and to achieve SVD eradication. In this study, we evaluated diagnostic performances of six genomic amplification methods, using positive fecal samples from 78 different outbreaks (1997-2014), which included different lineages. Comparison of three RT-PCRs, designed to amplify the same 154 nt portion of the gene 3D, demonstrated that a conventional and a real-time based on SYBR Green detection assay showed the highest diagnostic sensitivity, detecting all samples, while a real-time TaqMan-based test missed three cases, owing to two mismatches in the probe target sequence. Diagnostic and analytical specificities were optimal, as 300 negative field samples and other enteroviruses reacted negative. Three further evaluated tests, previously described, were a 3D-targeted reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and two real-time RT-PCRs targeted on the 5'UTR region. Here, the presence of multiple mismatches in probe and primers reduced the diagnostic performances, and two of the assays were unable to detect viruses from one sub-lineage. These results highlight that the choice of tests using less nucleotide targets significantly contributed to the success of the SVD eradication plan.

Phylogenetic characteristics and molecular epidemiological analysis of novel enterovirus EV-B83 isolated from Tibet, China.

Enterovirus B83 (EV-B83) is a new member of the enterovirus B group. Currently, there are only two full-length genomic sequences of EV-B83 in the GenBank database and few VP1 region sequences. The aetiology and epidemiology of EV-B83 is unclear. 24 stool specimens were collected from twelve AFP patients and 298 stool specimens were collected from 298 healthy children in support of polio eradication activities in Tibet in 1999. Two polioviruses (isolated by L20B cell) and one non-polio enterovirus (isolated by RD cell) were isolated from AFP patients and nine polioviruses (isolated by L20B cell) and 90 non-polio enteroviruses (isolated by RD cell) were isolated from health children. Through molecular typing, we confirmed that the six of non-polio enteroviruses belong to EV-B83. The sequence similarity between the VP1 region of the Tibet isolates and that of the EV-B83 prototype strain was 80%. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree of the partial VP1 region in EV-B83 demonstrated that EV-B83 formed four genotypes globally during the evolution process. The six Tibet EV-B83 strains formed the D genotype alone. Recombination analysis of Tibet EV-B83 showed that CV-B4, CV-A9, EV-B80, and EV-B106 may act as recombinant donors in multiple regions. The serum neutralization test showed that the antibody-positive rate was 58.8% and GMT was 1:19.70, which was higher than the previously reported results of EV-B106 and EV-B80. Temperature sensitivity test results showed that the six Tibet EV-B83 strains were temperature-insensitive with stronger virulence and potential infectivity, which was consistent with the results of the serum neutralization test. This study enriched the genome-wide sequence, epidemiological characteristics, and provided basic data for the follow-up study of EV-B83.

Identification of Immunogenic Epitopes That Permit the Detection of Antigen-Specific T Cell Responses in Multiple Serotypes of Group B Coxsackievirus Infections.

Coxsackievirus group B (CVB) contains six serotypes that can affect various organs. Some of these organ-specific diseases such as myocarditis and pancreatitis can be caused by more than one serotype. Thus, development of immunological tools common to multiple serotypes is desired. This is especially critical for analyzing antigen-specific T cell responses at a single cell level. To this end, we made efforts to identify the immunogenic epitopes of CVB3 leading us to localize three T cell epitopes within the viral protein 1 (VP1) namely, VP1 681-700, VP1 721-740 and VP1 771-790. First, we confirmed their immunogenicity in the immunization settings. Second, we sought to verify the ability of VP1 epitopes to bind major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II (IAk) molecules. Third, we created MHC class II (IAk) dextramers and tetramers and ascertained the T cell responses to be antigen-specific. Fourth, we analyzed the T cell responses in animals infected with CVB3 and noted the magnitude of antigen-specific T cell responses occurring in the order of VP1 721-740 and VP1 681-700 followed by VP1 771-790 as verified by proliferation assay and IAk tetramer staining. All epitopes induced interferon (IFN)-γ as a major cytokine. Finally, we investigated whether the VP1 tools generated for CVB3 can also be used to verify T cell responses in infections caused by other serotypes. To this end, we established the CVB4 infection model in A/J mice and found that the CVB4 infection led to the induction of IFN-γ-producing T cell responses primarily for VP1 721-740 and VP1 681-700. Thus, the VP1-specific tools, particularly IAk tetramers can be used to monitor anti-viral T cell responses in multiple CVB serotypes.

DDX3 inhibitors show antiviral activity against positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses but not against negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses: The coxsackie B model.

Picornaviridae are positive-sense single stranded RNA viruses with a similar genomic structure lacking a cap at the 5' end, but with a highly structured 5'-untranslated region (UTR) containing an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). IRES allows ribosomes to be recruited by the viral RNA and initiate translation in a cap-independent manner. Coxsackie virus type B (CV-B) belong to Picornaviridae and are widespread in human population. They usually cause subclinical infections but, occasionally, also severe diseases with various clinical manifestations. CV-B have no specific therapy. DEAD-box polypeptide 3 (DDX3) is a member of the Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD)-box family with an ATP-dependent RNA unwinding helicase activity. Recently, several positive-sense single strand RNA viruses have been shown to need DDX3 for their translation. Here, we show that several DDX3 inhibitors reduced CV-B replication and production of viral protein, particularly when added within 12 h of infection. Based on in vitro and in silico data, we hypothesized that DDX3 inhibitors hamper interaction between DDX3 and viral IRES in a stereodynamic fashion. Accordingly, the DDX3 inhibitors tested have no activity against the Vesicular Stomatitis virus and Measles virus, which are negative-sense single stranded RNA viruses and use cap-dependent translation. This study suggests that DDX3 is required by RNA viruses lacking a cap and show that this enzyme is a valuable target to design antiviral molecules against CV-B. Thus, DDX3 is dispensable for cap-dependent translation, but required for translation of transcripts containing secondary structure in their UTRs.

Repeated viral meningitis in a newborn.

Human enteroviruses (EV) are the most common cause of viral meningitis in children. Human parechoviruses (HPeV) are increasingly being recognized as a cause of central nervous system (CNS) infections and sepsis-like disease in children. Both viruses belong to Picornaviridae family. The clinical picture in EV and HPeV infections is usually nonspecific. Therefore, molecular detection of both viruses is needed for etiological diagnosis. In this case report, we describe and discuss clinical and laboratory findings of two consecutive episodes of viral meningitis caused by EV and HPeV, respectively, occurring in the first month of a newborn's life.

Recombination Events and Conserved Nature of Receptor Binding Motifs in Coxsackievirus A9 Isolates.

Coxsackievirus A9 (CVA9) is an enterically transmitted enterovirus and one of the most pathogenic type among human enteroviruses. CVA9 isolates use a distinctive RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) motif within VP1 capsid protein that defines its ability to bind to integrin receptor(s) for cellular entry. To investigate CVA9 evolution and pathogenicity, genetic relationships and recombination events were analyzed between 54 novel clinical isolates of CVA9, as well as 21 previously published full length CVA9 sequences from GenBank. Samples were investigated by partial sequencing of the novel VP1 and 3Dpol genes, as well as including the corresponding areas from GenBank sequences. Phylogenetic analyses were combined with clinical data in a further attempt to analyze whether sequence evolution reflects CVA9 pathogenicity in the phylogenies. Furthermore, VP1 gene was also analyzed for receptor binding sites including the RGD motif and the putative heparan sulfate (HS) site. Analysis of the 559-nucleotide-long VP1 sequences identified six clades. Although most of the strains within each clade showed geographical clustering, the grouping pattern of the isolates in the analysis of the VP1 gene was strikingly different from grouping of 3Dpol, which suggests that recombination events may have occurred in the region encoding the nonstructural proteins. Inclusion of clinical data did not provide any evidence of symptom based phylogenetic clustering of CVA9 isolates. Amino acid sequence analysis of the VP1 polypeptide demonstrated that the RGD motif was fully conserved among the isolates while the putative HS binding site was only found in one isolate. These data suggest that integrin binding is essential for virus tropism, but do not explain the symptom repertoire.

Characterization of a novel echovirus 21 strain isolated from a healthy child in China in 2013.

Echovirus 21 (E21) belongs to the species Enterovirus B, whose members are frequently associated with acute flaccid paralysis. E21 strain 553/YN/CHN/2013 was isolated from a healthy child in Yunnan, China, in 2013. This is the first report of the complete genome sequence of E21 in China. This strain shared 81.7% nucleotide sequence identity and 96.8% amino acid sequence identity with the E21 prototype strain Farina. Although strain 553/YN/CHN/2013 belongs to the E21 serotype, the only similarity to the E21 strain was in the VP1 region, as other genomic regions, including VP2-VP4, were more similar to other EV-B members. Recombination analysis showed evidence of recombination events between E21 and other EV-B viruses. E21 strain 553/YN/CHN/2013 failed to infect suckling mice via intracerebral injection. Surveillance of E21 is very important to help forecast the potential of emerging E21 outbreaks and related diseases.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Caused by Coxsackievirus A6: A Preliminary Report from Istanbul.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is caused by various serotypes of Enterovirus genus. Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) and enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) were known to be the only responsible agents for these epidemics; however, this opinion was challenged after the detection that coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was the responsible species for the outbreak in Finland in 2008. HFMD is frequently seen in Turkey, and no detailed study on its clinical and microbiological epidemiology has previously been reported. The present study addresses this question. Twenty-seven patient samples collected between 2015 and 2017 were included in the study. Typing was conducted by RT-PCR and the sequencing applied directly to patient's samples and as well as to the viral cultures with pan-enterovirus and serotype-specific primers. The presence of Enterovirus in 12 of 27 HFMD samples was shown with RT-PCR. The causative agent for three of these 12 samples was CV-A16, one of the most frequent two serotypes around the world, and the remaining nine samples was CV-A6. The findings of the study are relevant since it pertains to the molecular epidemiology of HFMD in Turkey, a gateway country where different serotypes might be circulating and transmitted. The findings also support the notion that CV-A6 cases are rising in number, which has caused more severe clinical features and widespread rashes in recent outbreaks.Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is caused by various serotypes of Enterovirus genus. Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) and enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) were known to be the only responsible agents for these epidemics; however, this opinion was challenged after the detection that coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was the responsible species for the outbreak in Finland in 2008. HFMD is frequently seen in Turkey, and no detailed study on its clinical and microbiological epidemiology has previously been reported. The present study addresses this question. Twenty-seven patient samples collected between 2015 and 2017 were included in the study. Typing was conducted by RT-PCR and the sequencing applied directly to patient's samples and as well as to the viral cultures with pan-enterovirus and serotype-specific primers. The presence of Enterovirus in 12 of 27 HFMD samples was shown with RT-PCR. The causative agent for three of these 12 samples was CV-A16, one of the most frequent two serotypes around the world, and the remaining nine samples was CV-A6. The findings of the study are relevant since it pertains to the molecular epidemiology of HFMD in Turkey, a gateway country where different serotypes might be circulating and transmitted. The findings also support the notion that CV-A6 cases are rising in number, which has caused more severe clinical features and widespread rashes in recent outbreaks.

Multiple genotypes of Echovirus 11 circulated in mainland China between 1994 and 2017.

Echovirus 11 (E-11) is one of the most frequently isolated enteroviruses causing meningitis and other diseases such as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Fifty-nine newly determined E-11 VP1 sequences from the China AFP and HFMD surveillance network and 500 E-11 VP1 sequences obtained from the GenBank database, which were associated with 12 categories of diseases, were screened for phylogenetic analysis. Based on the standard method of genotype classification, E-11 strains circulated worldwide were reclassified into six genotypes as A, B, C, D, E, and F, in which genotype F is newly divided, and genotypes A and C are further divided into A1-5 and C1-4 by this research, whereas genotype D was still divided into D1-5 as in a previous study of Oberste et al. Sub-genotype A1 was the predominant sub-genotype in mainland China between 2008-2017, whereas sub-genotype D5 was the predominant sub-genotype circulated outside China from 1998-2014. However, genotype and sub-genotype spectra showed statistical significance among AFP and HFMD cases (χ2 = 60.86, P < 0.001), suggesting that different genotypes might have a tendency to cause different diseases. Strengthening the surveillance of E-11 might provide further information about pathogenic evolution or specific nucleotide mutation associated with different clinical diseases.