Virology Journal (Feb 2007)

Molecular epidemiology of measles viruses in China, 1995–2003

  • Ma Yujie,
  • Yang Xiuhui,
  • Liu Wei,
  • Ba Zhuoma,
  • Zhou Shunde,
  • Lu Yiyu,
  • Zhang Jinlin,
  • Yang Xuelei,
  • Zhang Hong,
  • Yan Xinge,
  • Liu Guiyan,
  • Zhou Jianhui,
  • He Weikuan,
  • Guan Ronghui,
  • Li Ping,
  • Ma Yan,
  • Tian Jiang,
  • He Jilan,
  • Lin Chunyan,
  • Ma Yan,
  • Zhao Chunfang,
  • Ling Hua,
  • Tian Hong,
  • Zheng Lei,
  • Wang Tongzhan,
  • Li Congyong,
  • Wang Changyin,
  • Tang Wei,
  • Zhang Zhenying,
  • Hu Jiayu,
  • Wang Jianguo,
  • Rota Paul A,
  • Jiang Xiaohong,
  • Zhu Zhen,
  • Zhang Yan,
  • Liang Yong,
  • Li Yeqiang,
  • Ji Yixin,
  • Featherstone David,
  • Bellini William J,
  • Xu Songtao,
  • Liang Guodong,
  • Xu Wenbo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-422X-4-14
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
p. 14

Abstract

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Abstract This report describes the genetic characterization of 297 wild-type measles viruses that were isolated in 24 provinces of China between 1995 and 2003. Phylogenetic analysis of the N gene sequences showed that all of the isolates belonged to genotype H1 except 3 isolates, which were genotype A. The nucleotide sequence and predicted amino acid homologies of the 294-genotype H1 strains were 94.7%–100% and 93.3%–100%, respectively. The genotype H1 isolates were divided into 2 clusters, which differed by approximately 2.9% at the nucleotide level. Viruses from both clusters were distributed throughout China with no apparent geographic restriction and multiple co-circulating lineages were present in many provinces. Even though other measles genotypes have been detected in countries that border China, this report shows that genotype H1 is widely distributed throughout the country and that China has a single, endemic genotype. This important baseline data will help to monitor the progress of measles control in China.