title: Retrospective characterization of a vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 isolate from sewage in Greece.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, 26 Ploutonos & Aiolou Str., Larissa 41221, Greece.
authors.forename: Evaggelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dedepsidis
authors.forename: Zaharoula
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kyriakopoulou
authors.forename: Vaia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pliaka
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kottaridi
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bolanaki
authors.forename: Stamatina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levidiotou-Stefanou
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Komiotis
authors.forename: Panayotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Markoulatos
mesh_terms: 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*