title: Antigenic and genetic characterization of twenty-six strains of human respiratory syncytial virus (subgroup A) isolated during three consecutive outbreaks in Havana city, Cuba.
abstract: Twenty-six human respiratory syncytial virus strains (subgroup A) isolated from three outbreaks in Havana City during the period 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 were analyzed to determine their antigenic and genetic relationships. Analyses were performed by monoclonal antibodies and restriction mapping (N gene) following amplification of the select region of the virus genome by polymerase chain reaction. All isolated strains were classified as subgroup A by monoclonal antibodies and they showed a restriction pattern NP4 that belonged to subgroup A. Thus the results obtained in this work, showed a close relation (100%) between antigenic and genetic characterization of the isolated strains in our laboratory. These methods permit the examination of large numbers of isolates by molecular techniques, simplifying the researchs into the molecular epidemiology of the virus.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical 'Pedro Kouri', La Habana, Cuba. a.valdivia@ipk.sld.cu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valdivia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chacon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Valdes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cancio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oropesa
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Melero
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garcia-Barreno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goyenechea
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000914:Antibodies, Viral