title: Identification of deletion mutant respiratory syncytial virus strains lacking most of the G protein in immunocompromised children with pneumonia in South Africa.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) G protein deletion mutants replicate effectively in vitro but have not been detected in nature. Subtyping of RSV strains in hospitalized children in South Africa identified G protein PCR amplicons significantly reduced in size in 2 out of 209 clinical specimens screened over 4 years. Sequence analysis revealed subtype B strains lacking nearly the entire G protein ectodomain in one HIV-positive and one HIV-exposed child hospitalized with pneumonia. The association of clinical strains lacking most of the G protein with lower respiratory tract infection in immunocompromised children may have implications for RSV vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. marietjiev@nicd.ac.za
authors.forename: Marietjie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venter
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Niekerk
authors.forename: Andronica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rakgantso
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bent
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D013019:South Africa; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C502275:G glycoprotein, Respiratory syncytial virus; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins