title: Molecular epidemiology of wild poliovirus type 1 in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent.
abstract: The genomic relationships of wild poliovirus type 1 strains recently isolated in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent was analyzed by automated amplicon sequencing of the VP1/2A junction region of the genome. Four major genotypes of poliovirus type 1 were found to circulate. Two genotypes were found predominantly in Eastern Europe, one of these in the Caucasian Region and the other in countries bordering the Black Sea. A third genotype circulated mainly in Egypt. The fourth and largest genotype circulated in the largest geographic area. Strains belonging to this genotype could be found in countries as far apart as Malaysia and Ukraine. Considerable genetic variation was observed among strains isolated in Egypt, Pakistan, and India, where poliovirus is endemic. Strains belonging to all four genotypes circulated in Pakistan. Data confirm the extent of poliovirus circulation in certain regions, stressing the need for intensification of vaccination in these regions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM). World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Poliomyelitis, Bilthoven, Netherlands.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Mulders
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lipskaya
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: van der Avoort
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Koopmans
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Kew
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van Loon
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005060:Europe; D007194:India; D008877:Middle East; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral