title: Molecular analysis of rubella virus epidemiology across three continents, North America, Europe, and Asia, 1961-1997.
abstract: E1 gene nucleotide sequences of 63 rubella virus isolates from North America, Europe, and Asia isolated between 1961 and 1997 were compared phylogenetically. Two genotypes were evident: Genotype I contained 60 viruses from North America, Europe, and Japan, and genotype II contained 3 viruses from China and India. The genotype I isolates prior to 1970 grouped into a single diffuse clade, indicating intercontinental circulation, while most post-1975 viruses segregated into geographic clades from each continent, indicating evolution in response to vaccination programs. The E1 amino acid sequences differed by no more than 3%; thus, no major antigenic variation was apparent. Among 4 viruses from congenital rubella syndrome that occurred following reinfection, only one amino acid substitution occurred in several important epitopes, indicating that antigenic drift is not important in this phenomenon. However, 2 viruses isolated from chronic arthritis exhibited changes in these epitopes. Isolates of the RA 27/3 vaccine strain were readily identifiable by nucleotide sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta 30303, USA. biotkf@panther.gsu.edu
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Abernathy
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bosma
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Starkey
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katow
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C061826:E1 envelope protein, Rubella virus