Molecular characterization of haemagglutinin genes of influenza B viruses circulating in Ghana during 2016 and 2017.

ABSTRACT: Recent reports of haemagglutinin antigen (HA) mismatch between vaccine composition strains and circulating strains, have led to renewed interest in influenza B viruses. Additionally, there are concerns about resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors in new influenza B isolates. To assess the potential impact in Ghana, we characterized the lineages of influenza B viruses that circulated in Ghana between 2016 and 2017 from different regions of the country: Southern, Northern and Central Ghana. Eight representative specimens from the three regions that were positive for influenza B virus by real-time RT-PCR were sequenced and compared to reference genomes from each lineage. A total of eleven amino acids substitutions were detected in the B/Victoria lineage and six in the B/Yamagata lineage. The

SUBMITTER: Yakubu AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9506629 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature