title: Genetic diversity among human parainfluenza virus type 2 isolated in Croatia between 2011 and 2014.
abstract: The dynamics and evolution of the human parainfluenza virus type 2 (HPIV2) in Croatia, and also globally, are largely unknown. Most HPIV2 infections are treated symptomatically outside the hospital setting. Thus, the diagnosis is missing making it difficult to follow the genetic variation and evolution of the HPIV2. This study explores hospitalized HPIV2 cases in Croatia during 4-year period (2011-2014). Most cases in this period were reported in October or November (68.75%) and most of patients were under 2 years of age (81.25%). For molecular analyses, we used the F and HN gene sequences and showed that although both regions are equally suitable for phylogenetic analyses it would be advantageous to use regions longer than 2 kb for HPIV2 analyses of isolates which are spatially and temporally closely related. We show here that the dominant cluster in this area was cluster G3 while only one strain isolated in this period was positioned in the distant cluster G1a. Further monitoring of the HPIV2 will determine whether cluster G3 will remain dominant or it will be overruled by cluster G1a. This will be important for the surveillance of virus circulation in population and significance of the viral infection. J. Med. Virol. 88:1733-1741, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Šantak
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Anamarija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slović
authors.affiliation: Teaching Institute of Public Health "Dr. Andrija Štampar", Zagreb, Croatia.|School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sunčanica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ljubin-Sternak
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.|Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mlinarić Galinović
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dubravko
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forčić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015707:HN Protein / Q000235:genetics; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010223:Parainfluenza Virus 2, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D019351:Rubulavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014709:Vero Cells; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015707:HN Protein; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins
keywords: fusion gene; hemagglutinin neuraminidase gene; human parainfluenza virus type 2; phylogenetic analysis