title: Prevalence and Phylogenetic Characterization of Enterovirus D68 in Pediatric Patients with Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Thailand.
abstract: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is associated with severe lower respiratory tract infection and neurological abnormalities including acute myelitis and cranial nerve dysfunction. To determine whether an increased incidence of EV-D68 occurs in Southeast Asia, we retrospectively tested specimens collected from Thai pediatric patients who were less than 5 years of age and presented with acute respiratory tract infections between 2012 and 2014. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing of the 5'-UTR/VP2 region were used to identify EV-D68. We also examined the epidemiological pattern of EV-D68 since 2009, when it was first identified in Thailand, and compiled records of clinical manifestations in children with confirmed EV-D68 infection. From 837 samples, 5 samples (0.6%) tested positive for EV-D68. All patients presented with viral pneumonia and required hospitalization. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP4/VP2 regions revealed that EV-D68 strains circulating in Thailand between 2012 and 2014 were closely related to strains reported in Japan, United Kingdom, China, and France. Continued surveillance of probable EV-D68-associated severe respiratory tract infection and the development of a rapid diagnostic test for EV-D68 are essential in supporting awareness and facilitating disease prevention and control.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.
authors.forename: Ilada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thongpan
authors.forename: Nasamon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wanlapakorn
authors.forename: Sompong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vongpunsawad
authors.forename: Piyada
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Linsuwanon
authors.forename: Apiradee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Theamboonlers
authors.forename: Sunchai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payungporn
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poovorawan
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015678:Viral Structural Proteins