New Measles Virus Genotype Associated with Outbreak, China

Authors:
  • HWHuiling Wang
    Huiling Wang
  • LLLiqun Li
    Liqun Li
  • YPYankun Pang
    Yankun Pang
  • KBKevin E Brown
    Kevin E Brown
  • SXSongtao Xu
    Songtao Xu
  • ZZZhen Zhu
    Zhen Zhu
  • PRPaul A Rota
    Paul A Rota
  • DFDavid Featherstone
    David Featherstone
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To determine the origin of the virus associated with a measles outbreak in Menglian County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, in 2009, we conducted genetic analyses. Phylogenetic analyses based on nucleoprotein (N) and hemagglutinin (H) gene sequences showed that these Menglian viruses were not closely related to sequences of any World Health Organization (WHO) reference strains representing the 23 currently recognized genotypes. The minimum nucleotide divergence between the Menglian viruses and the most closely related reference strain, genotype D7, was 3.3% for the N gene and 3.0% for the H gene. A search of the databases of GenBank, WHO, and the Health Protection Agency Measles Nucleotide Surveillance showed that the Menglian viruses, together with the 2 older non-Menglian viruses, could be members of a new proposed measles genotype, d11. The new genotype designation will allow for better description of measles transmission patterns, especially in the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific regions.

This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit: