Molecular epidemiology and characterization of human coronavirus in Thailand, 2012-2013.
BACKGROUND
Coronavirus causes respiratory infections in humans. To determine the prevalence of human coronavirus (HCoV) infection among patients with influenza-like illness, 5833 clinical samples from nasopharyngeal swabs and aspirates collected between January 2012 and December 2013 were examined.


RESULTS
HCoV was found in 46 (0.79 %) samples. There were 19 (0.32 %) HCoV-HKU1, 19 (0.32 %) HCoV-NL63, 5 (0.09 %) HCoV-229E, and 3 (0.05 %) HCoV-OC43. None of the sample tested positive for MERS-CoV. The majority (54 %) of the HCoV-positive patients were between the ages of 0 and 5 years. HCoV was detected throughout the 2-year period and generally peaked from May to October, which coincided with the rainy season. Phylogenetic trees based on the alignment of the spike (S) gene sequences suggest an emergence of a new clade for HCoV-229E.


CONCLUSIONS
The data in this study provide an insight into the prevalence of the recent circulating HCoVs in the region.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Rapeepun
R
Soonnarong
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Ilada
I
Thongpan
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sunchai
S
Payungporn
Chum Phae Hospital, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Chanpim
C
Vuthitanachot
Chum Phae Hospital, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Viboonsuk
V
Vuthitanachot
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Preeyaporn
P
Vichiwattana
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sompong
S
Vongpunsawad
Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Yong
Y
Poovorawan
Epidemiology; Human coronavirus (HCoV); Respiratory tract infection (RTI); Thailand