Detection of Enterovirus D68 in Wastewater Samples from the UK between July and November 2021.

Infection with enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been linked with severe neurological disease such as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in recent years. However, active surveillance for EV-D68 is lacking, which makes full assessment of this association difficult. Although a high number of EV-D68 infections were expected in 2020 based on the EV-D68's known biannual circulation patterns, no apparent increase in EV-D68 detections or AFM cases was observed during 2020. We describe an upsurge of EV-D68 detections in wastewater samples from the United Kingdom between July and November 2021 mirroring the recently reported rise in EV-D68 detections in clinical samples from various European countries. We provide the first publicly available 2021 EV-D68 sequences showing co-circulation of EV-D68 strains from genetic clade D and sub-clade B3 as in previous years. Our results show the value of environmental surveillance (ES) for the early detection of circulating and clinically relevant human viruses. The use of a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach helped us to estimate the prevalence of EV-D68 viruses among EV strains from other EV serotypes and to detect EV-D68 minor variants. The utility of ES at reducing gaps in virus surveillance for EV-D68 and the possible impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions introduced to control the COVID-19 pandemic on EV-D68 transmission dynamics are discussed.

Retrospective Study of the Upsurge of Enterovirus D68 Clade D1 among Adults (2014-2018).

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has emerged as an agent of epidemic respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis in the paediatric population but data are lacking in adult patients. We performed a 4.5-year single-centre retrospective study of all patients who tested positive for EV-D68 and analysed full-length EV-D68 genomes of the predominant clades B3 and D1. Between 1 June 2014, and 31 December 2018, 73 of the 11,365 patients investigated for respiratory pathogens tested positive for EV-D68, of whom 20 (27%) were adults (median age 53.7 years [IQR 34.0-65.7]) and 53 (73%) were children (median age 1.9 years [IQR 0.2-4.0]). The proportion of adults increased from 12% in 2014 to 48% in 2018 (p = 0.01). All adults had an underlying comorbidity factor, including chronic lung disease in 12 (60%), diabetes mellitus in six (30%), and chronic heart disease in five (25%). Clade D1 infected a higher proportion of adults than clades B3 and B2 (p = 0.001). Clade D1 was more divergent than clade B3: 5 of 19 amino acid changes in the capsid proteins were located in putative antigenic sites. Adult patients with underlying conditions are more likely to present with severe complications associated with EV-D68, notably the emergent clade D1.

Respiratory and intestinal epithelial cells exhibit differential susceptibility and innate immune responses to contemporary EV-D68 isolates.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been implicated in outbreaks of severe respiratory illness and is associated with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). EV-D68 is often detected in patient respiratory samples but has also been detected in stool and wastewater, suggesting the potential for both respiratory and enteric routes of transmission. Here, we used a panel of EV-D68 isolates, including a historical pre-2014 isolate and multiple contemporary isolates from AFM outbreak years, to define the dynamics of viral replication and the host response to infection in primary human airway cells and stem cell-derived enteroids. We show that some recent EV-D68 isolates have decreased sensitivity to acid and temperature compared with earlier isolates and that the respiratory, but not intestinal, epithelium induces a robust type III interferon response that restricts infection. Our findings define the differential responses of the respiratory and intestinal epithelium to contemporary EV-D68 isolates and suggest that a subset of isolates have the potential to target both the human airway and gastrointestinal tracts.

The role of conformational epitopes in the evolutionary divergence of enterovirus D68 clades: A bioinformatics-based study.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), as one of the major pathogens of paediatric respiratory disease, has been widely spread in the population in recent years. As the basis of virus antigenicity, antigenic epitopes are essential to monitoring the transformation of virus antigenicity. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the antigenic epitopes of EV-D68. In this study, a bioinformatics-based prediction algorithm for human enteroviruses was used to predict the conformational epitopes of EV-D68. The prediction results showed that the conformational epitopes of EV-D68 were clustered into three sites: site 1, site 2, and site 3. Site 1 was located in the "north rim" region of the canyon near the fivefold axis; site 2 was located in the "puff" region near the twofold axis; and site 3 consisted of two parts, one in the "knob" region on the south rim of the canyon and the other in the threefold axis region. The predicted epitopes overlapped highly with the binding regions of four reported monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), indicating that the predictions were highly reliable. Phylogenetic analysis showed that amino acid mutations in the epitopes of the VP1 BC loop, DE loop, C-terminus, and VP2 EF loop played a crucial role in the evolutionary divergence of EV-D68 clades/subclades and epidemics. This finding indicated that the VP1 BC loop, DE loop, C-terminus, and VP2 EF loop were the most important epitopes of EV-D68. Research on the epitopes of EV-D68 will contribute to outbreak surveillance and to the development of diagnostic reagents and recombinant vaccines.

Genetic analysis of Enterovirus D68 associated with pneumonia in children from South India.

EV-D68 is an emerging enterovirus infection associated with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). While EV-D68 outbreaks and sporadic cases are reported globally, a single case has been reported from India. The present study aims to investigate the molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of EV-D68-associated SARI cases from South India. We screened influenza-negative archived throat swab specimens from Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and SARI cases (n=959; 2016 to 2018 period) for enteroviruses by pan-enterovirus real-time RT-PCR. Thirteen samples positive for enteroviruses were typed by PCR and sequencing based on VPI, VP2 and/or 5'NCR regions. One EV-D68 RNA sample was subjected to next-generation sequencing for whole genome characterisation. Among 13 enterovirus cases, four were ECHO-11, three EV-D68, two CV-A16 and one each EV-71, CV-B1, CV-B2 and CV-A9. All three cases of EV-D68 infection were reported in children below 2 years of age from Kerala state of South India during June and July 2017. The patients developed pneumonia without any neurological complications. Sequencing based on VPI and 5'NCR regions showed that EV-D68 strains belong to the novel subclade B3. The EV-D68 complete genome identified with two unique amino acid substitutions in VP1 (T-246-I) and 3D (K-344-R) regions. This study reiterates the EV-D68 novel subclade B3 circulation in India and indicates the urgent need for structured EV-D68 surveillance in the country to describe the epidemiology.

Enterovirus D68 molecular and cellular biology and pathogenesis.

In recent years, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has advanced from a rarely detected respiratory virus to a widespread pathogen responsible for increasing rates of severe respiratory illness and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in children worldwide. In this review, we discuss the accumulating data on the molecular features of EV-D68 and place these into the context of enterovirus biology in general. We highlight similarities and differences with other enteroviruses and genetic divergence from own historical prototype strains of EV-D68. These include changes in capsid antigens, host cell receptor usage, and viral RNA metabolism collectively leading to increased virulence. Furthermore, we discuss the impact of EV-D68 infection on the biology of its host cells, and how these changes are hypothesized to contribute to motor neuron toxicity in AFM. We highlight areas in need of further research, including the identification of its primary receptor and an understanding of the pathogenic cascade leading to motor neuron injury in AFM. Finally, we discuss the epidemiology of the EV-D68 and potential therapeutic approaches.

Seroepidemiology of enterovirus D68 in a healthy population in Beijing, China, between 2012 and 2017: A retrospective study.

To investigate the seroepidemiological features of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) in the healthy population from 2012 to 2017 in Beijing, China. A retrospective cross-sectional investigation was conducted using serum specimens collected from healthy individuals in Beijing from 2012 to 2017. These samples were tested for neutralization antibodies (NtAbs) against EV-D68. The sera from six EV-D68 infected patients in the acute or convalescent phase were used to determine the protection level of NtAbs against EV-D68. The geometric means of the titers (GMT) of EV-D68 NtAbs in 2012 and 2017 were 92.82 and 242.91, respectively; the seroprevalences of EV-D68 were 89.43% and 98.43%, respectively. The GMT reached its peak in the 11 to 15 age group in 2012, while in 16 to 20 age group in 2017. We also observed that EV-D68 NtAbs titers of six sera from the acute phase were all less than equal to 1:64 and that of three sera from the convalescent phase were all more than 1:64. Anti-EV-D68 NtAbs in the population remained low from 2012 to 2016 but increased significantly in 2017. Although most of the EV-D68 infections remain undetected in Beijing, the risk of a large outbreak of EV-D68 exists and should be taken seriously.

Outbreak of Enterovirus D68 Among Children in Japan-Worldwide Circulation of Enterovirus D68 Clade B3 in 2018.

BACKGROUND: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) causes asthma-like respiratory infection in children. Several EV-D68 outbreaks have been reported worldwide since the largest outbreak occurred in the United States in 2014. We experienced an accumulation of pediatric cases with asthma-like respiratory illness in Niigata, Japan, in 2018. STUDY DESIGN: To determine whether EV-D68 was responsible for the case accumulation, this prospective observational study evaluated children hospitalized in 1 of 8 hospitals with asthma-like respiratory illness in Niigata, Japan, during October and November 2018. Diagnoses were made by EV-D68-specific RT-PCR using nasopharyngeal samples. The clade was identified by sequence analyses, and a phylogenetic tree was created. To evaluate seasonal variation, data from pediatric cases with asthma-like respiratory illness in 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: In 2018, 114 children were hospitalized with asthma-like respiratory illness in October and November, and 47 nasopharyngeal samples were collected. EV-D68 was detected in 22/47 (47%) patients during the study period. The phylogenetic tree revealed that all strains belonged to the clade B3 branch, which has been detected worldwide every 2 years since 2014. CONCLUSIONS: EV-D68 was the associated pathogen for asthma-like respiratory illness in children in Japan in 2018. Clade B3, the dominant clade in outbreaks worldwide, was responsible for the outbreak. Detection and detailed virologic analysis of EV-D68 is important as part of worldwide surveillance, as it will aid in understanding the epidemiologic characteristics of EV-D68 infection.

Enhanced Enterovirus D68 Replication in Neuroblastoma Cells Is Associated with a Cell Culture-Adaptive Amino Acid Substitution in VP1.

Since its emergence in the United States in 2014, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been and is associated with severe respiratory diseases and acute flaccid myelitis. Even though EV-D68 has been shown to replicate in different neuronal cells in vitro, it is currently poorly understood which viral factors contribute to the ability to replicate efficiently in cells of the central nervous system and whether this feature is a clade-specific feature. Here, we determined the replication kinetics of clinical EV-D68 isolates from (sub)clades A, B1, B2, B3, and D1 in human neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH). Subsequently, we compared sequences to identify viral factors associated with increased viral replication. All clinical isolates replicated in SK-N-SH cells, although there was a large difference in efficiency. Efficient replication of clinical isolates was associated with an amino acid substitution at position 271 of VP1 (E271K), which was acquired during virus propagation in vitro Recognition of heparan sulfate in addition to sialic acids was associated with increased attachment, infection, and replication. Removal of heparan sulfate resulted in a decrease in attachment, internalization, and replication of viruses with E271K. Taken together, our study suggests that the replication kinetics of EV-D68 isolates in SK-N-SH cells is not a clade-specific feature. However, recognition of heparan sulfate as an additional receptor had a large effect on phenotypic characteristics in vitro. These observations emphasize the need to compare sequences from virus stocks with clinical isolates in order to retrieve phenotypic characteristics from original virus isolates.IMPORTANCE Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) causes mild to severe respiratory disease and is associated with acute flaccid myelitis since 2014. Currently, the understanding of the ability of EV-D68 to replicate in the central nervous system (CNS), and whether it is associated with a specific clade of EV-D68 viruses or specific viral factors, is lacking. Comparing different EV-D68 clades did not reveal clade-specific phenotypic characteristics. However, we did show that viruses which acquired a cell culture-adapted amino acid substitution in VP1 (E271K) recognized heparan sulfate as an additional receptor. Recognition of heparan sulfate resulted in an increase in attachment, infection, and replication in neuroblastoma cells compared with viruses without this specific amino acid substitution. The ability of EV-D68 viruses to acquire cell culture-adaptive substitutions which have a large effect in experimental settings emphasizes the need to sequence virus stocks.

Co-circulation of multiple enterovirus D68 subclades, including a novel B3 cluster, across Europe in a season of expected low prevalence, 2019/20.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) was detected in 93 patients from five European countries between 1 January 2019 and 15 January 2020, a season with expected low circulation. Patients were primarily children (n = 67, median age: 4 years), 59 patients required hospitalisation and five had severe neurologic manifestations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two clusters in the B3 subclade and subclade A2/D. This circulation of EV-D68 associated with neurological manifestations stresses the importance of surveillance and diagnostics beyond expected peak years.

Enterovirus D68-associated respiratory and neurological illness in Spain, 2014-2018.

During 2014, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreaks were described globally, causing severe respiratory diseases in children and, in some cases, subsequent paralysis. In this study, the type characterization of enterovirus (EV) detected in respiratory illnesses and the epidemiology and clinical association of EV-D68 infections in Spain over a five-year period were described. A total of 546 EV-positive samples from hospitalized patients with respiratory infections were included. EV-D68 was the most frequently detected type (46.6%, 191/410 typed EV). Other EV from species A (25.1%), B (27.8%) and C (0.5%) were also identified. EV-D68 infections were more associated with bronchitis while EV-A/B types were more frequent in upper respiratory illness (p < 0.01). EV-D68 was also detected in patients with neurological symptoms (nine meningitis/meningoencephalitis and eight acute flaccid paralysis cases). Phylogenetic analysis of 3'-VP1 region showed most Spanish EV-D68 sequences from 2014 to 2016 belonged to subclades B2/B3, as other American and European strains circulating during the same period. However, those detected in 2017 and 2018 clustered to the emerged subclade D1. In summary, different EV can cause respiratory infections but EV-D68 was the most prevalent, with several strains circulating in Spain at least since 2014. Association between EV-D68 infection and neurological disease was also described.

Genetic and phenotypic characterization of recently discovered enterovirus D type 111.

Members of the species Enterovirus D (EV-D) remain poorly studied. The two first EV-D types (EV-D68 and EV-D70) have regularly caused outbreaks in humans since their discovery five decades ago but have been neglected until the recent occurrence of severe respiratory diseases due to EV-D68. The three other known EV-D types (EV-D94, EV-D111 and EV-D120) were discovered in the 2000s-2010s in Africa and have never been observed elsewhere. One strain of EV-D111 and all known EV-D120s were detected in stool samples of wild non-human primates, suggesting that these viruses could be zoonotic viruses. To date, EV-D111s are only known through partial genetic sequences of the few strains that have been identified so far. In an attempt to bring new pieces to the puzzle, we genetically characterized four EV-D111 strains (among the seven that have been reported until now). We observed that the EV-D111 strains from human samples and the unique simian EV-D111 strain were not phylogenetically distinct, thus suggesting a recent zoonotic transmission. We also discovered evidences of probable intertypic genetic recombination events between EV-D111s and EV-D94s. As recombination can only happen in co-infected cells, this suggests that EV-D94s and EV-D111s share common replication sites in the infected hosts. These sites could be located in the gut since the phenotypic analysis we performed showed that, contrary to EV-D68s and like EV-D94s, EV-D111s are resistant to acid pHs. We also found that EV-D111s induce strong cytopathic effects on L20B cells, a cell line routinely used to specifically detect polioviruses. An active circulation of EV-D111s among humans could then induce a high number of false-positive detection of polioviruses, which could be particularly problematic in Central Africa, where EV-D111 circulates and which is a key region for poliovirus eradication.

Molecular and Clinical Comparison of Enterovirus D68 Outbreaks among Hospitalized Children, Ohio, USA, 2014 and 2018.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) causes respiratory tract infections and neurologic manifestations. We compared the clinical manifestations from 2 EV-D68 outbreaks in 2014 and 2018 and a low-activity period in 2016 among hospitalized children in central Ohio, USA, and used PCR and sequencing to enable phylogenetic comparisons. During both outbreak periods, infected children had respiratory manifestations that led to an increase in hospital admissions for asthma. The 2018 EV-D68 outbreak appeared to be milder in terms of respiratory illness, as shown by lower rates of pediatric intensive care unit admission. However, the frequency of severe neurologic manifestations was higher in 2018 than in 2014. During the same period in 2016, we noted neither an increase in EV-D68 nor a significant increase in asthma-related admissions. Phylogenetic analyses showed that EV-D68 isolates from 2018 clustered differently within clade B than did isolates from 2014 and are perhaps associated with a different EV-D68 subclade.

Low Circulation of Subclade A1 Enterovirus D68 Strains in Senegal during 2014 North America Outbreak.

To retrospectively investigate enterovirus D68 circulation in Senegal during the 2014 US outbreak, we retrieved specimens from 708 persons, mostly children, who had acute respiratory symptoms during September-December 2014. Enterovirus D68 was detected in 14 children (2.1%); most cases occurred in October. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all strains clustered within subclade A1.

Current Understanding of Human Enterovirus D68.

Human enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a member of the species Enterovirus D of the Picornaviridae family, was first isolated in 1962 in the United States. EV-D68 infection was only infrequently reported until an outbreak occurred in 2014 in the US; since then, it has continued to increase worldwide. EV-D68 infection leads to severe respiratory illness and has recently been reported to be linked to the development of the neurogenic disease known as acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), mostly in children, seriously endangering public health. Hitherto, treatment options for EV-D68 infections were limited to supportive care, and as yet there are no approved, specific antiviral drugs or vaccines. Research on EV-D68 has mainly focused on its epidemiology, and its virologic characteristics and pathogenesis still need to be further explored. Here, we provide an overview of current research on EV-D68, including the genotypes and genetic characteristics of recent epidemics, the mechanism of infection and virus-host interactions, and its relationship to acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), in order to broaden our understanding of the biological features of EV-D68 and provide a basis for the development of effective antiviral agents.

Neutralizing Antibody against Enterovirus D68 in Children and Adults before 2014 Outbreak, Kansas City, Missouri, USA1.

We evaluated enterovirus D68 seroprevalence in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, from samples obtained during 2012-2013. Neutralizing antibodies against Fermon and the dominant 2014 Missouri isolate were universally detected. Titers increased with age. Widespread circulation of enterovirus D68 occurred before the 2014 outbreak. Research is needed to determine a surrogate of protection.

Emergence of divergent enterovirus (EV) D68 sub-clade D1 strains, northern Italy, September to October 2018.

Between September and October 2018, an enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreak occurred in patients hospitalised with severe acute respiratory infection in northern Italy; 21 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 16/20 of the EV-D68 sequences belonged to a divergent group within the sub-clade D1. Since its upsurge, EV-D68 has undergone rapid evolution with the emergence of new viral variants, emphasising the need for molecular surveillance that include outpatients with respiratory illness.

Genomic Analyses of Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases among a Cluster in Arizona Provide Further Evidence of Enterovirus D68 Role.

Enteroviruses are a common cause of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, and multiple subtypes, including poliovirus, can cause neurologic disease. In recent years, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been associated with serious neurologic illnesses, including acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), frequently preceded by respiratory disease. A cluster of 11 suspect cases of pediatric AFM was identified in September 2016 in Phoenix, AZ. To determine if these cases were associated with EV-D68, we performed multiple genomic analyses of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) material from the patients, including real-time PCR and amplicon sequencing targeting the EV-D68 VP1 gene and unbiased microbiome and metagenomic sequencing. Four of the 11 patients were classified as confirmed cases of AFM, and an additional case was classified as probable AFM. Real-time PCR and amplicon sequencing detected EV-D68 virus RNA in the three AFM patients from which NP swabs were collected, as well as in a fourth patient diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a disease that commonly follows bacterial or viral infections, including enterovirus. No other obvious etiological causes for AFM were identified by 16S or RNA and DNA metagenomic sequencing in these cases, strengthening the likelihood that EV-D68 is an etiological factor. Herpes simplex viral DNA was detected in the CSF of the fourth case of AFM and in one additional suspect case from the cluster. Multiple genomic techniques, such as those described here, can be used to diagnose patients with suspected EV-D68 respiratory illness, to aid in AFM diagnosis, and for future EV-D68 surveillance and epidemiology.IMPORTANCE Enteroviruses frequently result in respiratory and gastrointestinal illness; however, multiple subtypes, including poliovirus, can cause severe neurologic disease. Recent biennial increases (i.e., 2014, 2016, and 2018) in cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis have led to speculations that other enteroviruses, specifically enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), are emerging to fill the niche that was left from poliovirus eradication. A cluster of 11 suspect cases of pediatric acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) was identified in 2016 in Phoenix, AZ. Multiple genomic analyses identified the presence of EV-D68 in the majority of clinical AFM cases. Beyond limited detection of herpesvirus, no other likely etiologies were found in the cluster. These findings strengthen the likelihood that EV-D68 is a cause of AFM and show that the rapid molecular assays developed for this study are useful for investigations of AFM and EV-D68.