Open AccessEnterovirus D68 infection among hospitalized children with severe acute respiratory illness in El Salvador and Panama, 2012‐2013
Author(s) -
Biggs Holly M.,
Nix W. Allan,
Zhang Jing,
Rogers Shan,
Clara Wilfrido,
Jara Jorge H.,
Gonzalez Rosalba,
Luciani Kathia,
Brizuela Yarisa Sujey,
Estripeaut Dora,
Castillo Juan Miguel,
De Leon Tirza,
Corro Mary,
Vergara Ofelina,
Rauda Rafael,
Chong Evens G.,
Watson John T.,
AzzizBaumgartner Eduardo,
Gerber Susan I.,
Tong Suxiang,
Dawood Fatimah S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
influenza and other respiratory viruses
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.743
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1750-2659
pISSN - 1750-2640
DOI - 10.1111/irv.12815
Subject(s) - rhinovirus , panama , clade , enterovirus , respiratory system , respiratory illness , asthma , epidemiology , pediatrics , medicine , respiratory infection , demography , virology , biology , phylogenetics , virus , ecology , gene , genetics , sociology
We assessed EV‐D68 epidemiology and phylogenetics among children aged ≤9 years hospitalized with severe acute respiratory illnesses at five sites in Panama and El Salvador during 2012‐2013. Respiratory specimens positive for enterovirus or rhinovirus were tested by real‐time RT‐PCR for EV‐D68, and partial VP1 gene sequences were determined. Of 715 enrolled children, 17 from sites in both countries were EV‐D68‐positive and commonly had a history of asthma or wheezing. Phylogenetically, 15 of 16 sequences fell into Clade B1, and one into Clade A2. The Central American EV‐D68s were closely related genetically to contemporaneous strains from North America, South America, and the Caribbean.