A Pyrosequencing-Based Approach to High-Throughput Identification of Influenza A(H3N2) Virus Clades Harboring Antigenic Drift Variants.

ABSTRACT: The rapid evolution of influenza A(H3N2) viruses necessitates close monitoring of their antigenic properties so the emergence and spread of antigenic drift variants can be rapidly identified. Changes in hemagglutinin (HA) acquired by contemporary A(H3N2) viruses hinder antigenic characterization by traditional methods, thus complicating vaccine strain selection. Sequence-based approaches have been used to infer virus antigenicity; however, they are time consuming and mid-throughput. To facilitate virological surveillance and epidemiological studies, we developed and validated a pyrosequencing approach that enables identification of six HA clades of contemporary A(H3N2) viruses. The identification scheme of viruses of the H3 clades 3C.2, 3C.2a, 3C.2b, 3C.3, 3C.3a, and 3C.3b is based on the

SUBMITTER: Mishin VP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5228225 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature