Co-circulation of two genetically distinct sub-groups of A/H3N2 influenza strains during the 2006-2007 epidemic season in Corsica Island, France

J Clin Virol. 2009 Jul;45(3):265-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2009.05.004. Epub 2009 Jun 6.

Abstract

Background: Influenza virus is one of the major viral respiratory pathogens infecting human beings.

Objectives: To determine the influenza A virus variants responsible for the 2006-2007 epidemic season in Corsica Island, France.

Study design: Of 134 nasal samples of adult patients tested by culture and RT-PCR assays, 85 influenza A strains were identified; 81 (95%) were sub-typed as A/H3N2 and 4 (5%) were sub-typed as A/H1N1.

Results: All of the HA sequences of the A/H3N2 viruses circulating in Corsica Island appeared to be closely related to the A/Wisconsin/67/2005 vaccine strain and segregated into two sub-groups that were genetically distinct from other viruses circulating in other countries during 2006/2007. One of these sub-groups was distinguished by the substitution H156Q whereas the second demonstrated at least one of the 3 other additional mutations (R142G, L157S and K173E) common to the HA1 sequence of A/Nepal/921/2006 reference strain. Among the 14 strains of this second sub-group, 10 viral strains had been isolated from vaccinated adult patients.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that a prospective analysis of the HA sequences of influenza isolates may allow an early detection of newly evolved variants with potential epidemiological inference.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Genotype
  • Hemagglutinins, Viral / genetics
  • Humans
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / genetics
  • Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / isolation & purification
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / classification*
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / genetics*
  • Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / isolation & purification
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Influenza, Human / virology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Hemagglutinins, Viral
  • hemagglutinin fusogenic peptide, influenza virus

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EU263559
  • GENBANK/EU263560
  • GENBANK/EU263561
  • GENBANK/EU263562
  • GENBANK/EU263563
  • GENBANK/EU263564
  • GENBANK/EU263565
  • GENBANK/EU263566
  • GENBANK/EU263567
  • GENBANK/EU263568
  • GENBANK/EU263569
  • GENBANK/EU263570
  • GENBANK/EU263571
  • GENBANK/EU263572
  • GENBANK/EU263573
  • GENBANK/EU263574
  • GENBANK/EU263575
  • GENBANK/EU263576
  • GENBANK/EU263577
  • GENBANK/EU263578
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  • GENBANK/EU263580
  • GENBANK/EU263581
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  • GENBANK/EU263583
  • GENBANK/EU263584
  • GENBANK/EU263585
  • GENBANK/EU263586
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  • GENBANK/EU263588
  • GENBANK/EU263589
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  • GENBANK/EU263596
  • GENBANK/EU263597
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  • GENBANK/EU263600