title: [Genetic characterization of the virus causing H1N1 influenza pandemic in Chile: analysis of the first detected cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following the announcement of the Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic by the World Health Organization in April 2009, a surveillance program was carried out in Chile to detect the introduction of the virus in the country and to monitor its propagation and impact.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the onset of the outbreak and the genetic characterization of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in the first detected cases in Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of18 clinical samples coming from suspicious patients, received in a National Reference Laboratory. RNA reverse transcription and real time influenza gene DNA amplification was carried out in a 7500 Fast and Step One Real Time PCR Systems of Applied Biosystems and MxPro-Mx3000P thermocycler from Stratagene. Super Script III Platinum One-Step Quantitative RT-PCR was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The virus was first detected in three persons returning from the Dominican Republic via Panamá and a child from the east zone of Santiago. Genetic characterization of the virus showed that the child was infected by a different variant of the pandemic virus than the three persons returning from the Caribbean.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The onset of the Influenza outbreak in Chile apparently carne from two different epidemiological groups. The spread of the virus detected in the voyagers was limited immediately However the virus of the fourth case was found in different regions of Chile.
authors: Sección Virus Respiratorios y Exantemáticos, Instituto de Salud Pública, Chile.
authors: Rodrigo A
authors: RA
authors: Fasce
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Tognarelli
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Mora
authors: Graciela
authors: G
authors: Torres
authors: Winston
authors: W
authors: Andrade
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Bustos
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Araya
authors: Monserrat
authors: M
authors: Balanda
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Aguayo
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Sein
authors: Eugenio
authors: E
authors: Ramírez
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Fernández
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D058873:Pandemics; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral