Retrospective characterization of a vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 isolate from sewage in Greece.
Retrospective molecular and phenotypic characterization of a vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) type 1 isolate (7/b/97) isolated from sewage in Athens, Greece, in 1997 is reported. VP1 sequencing of this isolate revealed 1.87% divergence from the VP1 region of reference strain Sabin 1, while further genomic characterization of isolate 7/b/97 revealed a recombination event in the nonstructural part of the genome between a vaccine strain and a nonvaccine strain probably belonging to Enterovirus species C. Amino acid substitutions commonly found in previous studies were identified in the capsid coding region of the isolate, while most of the attenuation and temperature sensitivity determinants were reverted. The ultimate source of isolate 7/b/97 is unknown. The recovery of such a highly divergent derivative of a vaccine strain emphasizes the need for urgent implementation of environmental surveillance as a supportive procedure in the polio surveillance system even in countries with high rates of OPV coverage in order to prevent cases or even outbreaks of poliomyelitis that otherwise would be inevitable.
Dedepsidis
Evaggelos
E
Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 26 Ploutonos & Aiolou Str., Larissa 41221, Greece.
Kyriakopoulou
Zaharoula
Z
Pliaka
Vaia
V
Kottaridi
Christine
C
Bolanaki
Eugenia
E
Levidiotou-Stefanou
Stamatina
S
Komiotis
Dimitri
D
Markoulatos
Panayotis
P
D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*