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Molecular characterization of varicella‐zoster virus clinical isolates from 2006 to 2008 in a tertiary care hospital, Dublin, Ireland, using different genotyping methods
Author(s) -
Roycroft Emma,
Rose Lisa,
Scallan Martina F.,
Crowley Brendan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.23344
Subject(s) - genotyping , orfs , virology , varicella zoster virus , clade , biology , phylogenetic tree , virus , genotype , genetics , open reading frame , gene , peptide sequence
Varicella‐zoster virus (VZV), a herpesvirus, is a ubiquitous organism that causes considerable morbidity worldwide and can cause severe complications on reactivation. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on 19 clinical VZV isolates (16 zoster and 3 varicella) found in Ireland, between December 2006 and November 2008, in order to determine whether previously reported viral heterogeneity was still present and whether viral recombination was evident. Open reading‐frames (ORFs) from genes 1, 21, 50, and 54, were sequenced. Clades 1, 2, 3, and 5 were identified. Four putative recombinant isolates were detected (three clade 3/1 and one clade 5/3/1). Further sequencing and examination of ORF 22 and 21/50, did not elucidate the putative recombinant genotypes further. These two previously published genotyping schemes were examined in light of the new consensus genotyping scheme proposed in 2010. Remarkable VZV heterogeneity remains prevalent in Ireland. This is the first evidence of putative VZV recombination found in Ireland. J. Med. Virol. 84:1672–1679, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.