title: A molecular epidemiological study of respiratory viruses detected in Japanese children with acute wheezing illness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies strongly suggest that some respiratory viruses are associated with the induction of acute wheezing and/or exacerbation of bronchial asthma. However, molecular epidemiology of these viruses is not exactly known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using PCR technology, we attempted to detect various respiratory viruses from 115 Japanese children. Furthermore, the detected viruses were subjected to homology, pairwise distance, and phylogenetic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Viruses were detected from 99 (86.1%) patients. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) alone and human rhinovirus (HRV) alone were detected in 47 (40.9%) and 36 (31.3%) patients, respectively. Both RSV and HRV were detected in 14 (12.2%) patients. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) alone and human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) alone were detected in 1 (0.9%) patient each, respectively. Homology and phylogenetic analyses showed that the RSV and HRV strains were classified into genetically diverse species or subgroups. In addition, RSV was the dominant virus detected in patients with no history of wheezing, whereas HRV was dominant in patients with a history of wheezing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that these genetically diverse respiratory viruses, especially RSV and HRV, might be associated with wheezing in Japanese children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization Yokohama Medical Center, 3-60-2 Harajuku, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 245-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Asako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujitsuka
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsukagoshi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto-Sugai
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ryo
authors.forename: Yoshimichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuta
authors.forename: Atsuyoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishina
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaburagi
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Shumpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*