Molecular analysis of human respiratory syncytial virus group B strains isolated in Kenya before and during the emergence of pandemic influenza A/H1N1

Background: We conducted a retrospective study to explore molecular insights into human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) group B strains among patients attending outpatient clinics at government medical facilities both prior and during the onset of Influenza A/H1N1/2009 pandemic outbreak. Methods...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Wangui, J., Gachara, G., Mobegi, V., Agoti, C., Otieno, J., Opanda, S., Opot, B., Ngeranwa, J.N., Njeru, Regina, Bulimo, W.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2025
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Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/173387
Descripción
Sumario:Background: We conducted a retrospective study to explore molecular insights into human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) group B strains among patients attending outpatient clinics at government medical facilities both prior and during the onset of Influenza A/H1N1/2009 pandemic outbreak. Methods: We screened 2300 nasopharyngeal swabs using multiplex real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We amplified a segment of the first and second hypervariable regions, as well as the conserved portion of the third domain of the G-gene using HRSV-B specific primers, sequenced by Sanger di-deoxy chain termination method and thereafter analyzed the sequences. Results: We characterized the circulating strains into three known genotypes: SAB4 (1.4%), BA7 (1.4%), and multiple variants of BA9 (97.2%). The majority of BA9 viruses were uniquely Kenyan with only 4% aligning with BA9 lineages found elsewhere. The mean evolutionary rate of the HRSV-B was estimated to be 3.08 × 10<sup>−3</sup> substitutions pe