The Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Human Metapneumovirus in Bulgaria, 2016-2019.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

We investigated the prevalence of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) among patients with acute respiratory infections in Bulgaria, and performed genetic characterization of the F gene of these strains.

Methods

Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients of a range of ages were tested by using real-time PCR for 12 respiratory viruses. The F gene was sequenced, and phylogenetic and amino acid analyses of the F gene/protein were performed.

Results

A total of 1,842 patients were examined during a 3-year period; 1,229 patients (66.7%) were positive for at least one respiratory virus. hMPV was identified in 83 (4.5%) patient samples. Eleven (13%) of hMPV-positive patients were coinfected with another respiratory virus. The hMPV incidence rate in the 2016/2017, 2017/

SUBMITTER: Korsun NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8619751 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature