title: Molecular characterisation of a coxsackievirus A24 that caused an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis, Tunisia 2003.
abstract: This study reports the genetic characteristics of coxsackievirus A24 isolates from Tunisia, including a coxsackievirus A24 variant (CVA24v) that caused an outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) between September and November 2003. The virus genome was detected by PCR from conjunctival swabs obtained from patients with AHC. Four virus isolates were obtained from PCR-positive samples and were serotyped by sequence analysis of the VP1 and VP4 genomic region and by seroneutralisation. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1, VP4 and 3C genomic regions was performed. Other Tunisian CVA24 isolates from paralytic cases and healthy individuals were also amplified, sequenced and included in the phylogenetic analysis. The epidemic strain belonged to the CVA24 serotype. Phylogenetic analysis of the 3C region of the genome revealed a strong relationship between the Tunisian epidemic strain and strains that caused outbreaks in Korea (2002) and Guadeloupe and French Guiana (2003). Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 and VP4 regions showed a clear distinction between serotype CVA24 isolates from conjunctivitis and non-conjunctivitis cases. This is the first study to report an outbreak of AHC caused by CVA24v in the North African region.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Institut Pasteur de Tunis. Electronic address: henda.triki@pasteur.rns.tn.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Triki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Institut Pasteur de Tunis.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rezig
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Institut Pasteur de Tunis.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bahri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology Hedi Rais, Tunisia.
authors.forename: N Ben
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ayed
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Institut Pasteur de Tunis.
authors.forename: A Ben
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Yahia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Regional Reference Laboratory on Poliomyelitis and Measles, Institut Pasteur de Tunis.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadraoui
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology Hedi Rais, Tunisia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ayed
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003232:Conjunctivitis, Acute Hemorrhagic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D030015:Enterovirus C, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral