Molecular epidemiology of human rhinovirus in coastal China: genotyping and epidemic trends in Daishan (2022-2023).

To investigate the positive rate and molecular epidemiological characteristics of human rhinovirus (HRV) in influenza-like illness (ILI) cases in Daishan, Zhejiang Province. Throat swab specimens from ILI cases were collected from a hospital in Daishan, Zhejiang Province, between January 2022 and December 2023. Real-time PCR was performed to identify 14 common respiratory pathogens. Nested PCR was performed to amplify the VP4/VP2 gene sequences of HRV-positive specimens. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on the VP4/VP2 regions of HRV. A total of 1,255 specimens were collected. The overall positive rate for respiratory pathogens was 54.34% (682/1,255), with HRV detected in 7.57% (95/1,255) of the cases. Three genotypes of HRV were identified, encompassing 25 serotypes, including 15 types of HRV-A, 5 types of HRV-B, and 5 types of HRV-C. HRV was one of the main pathogens causing respiratory tract infections in Daishan, Zhejiang Province, from January 2022 to December 2023. The prevalence of HRV was complex, with HRV-A being the predominant genotype, while HRV-A, HRV-B, and HRV-C were co-prevalent. Continuous monitoring of HRV infections is recommended.