[Analysis of human metapneumovirus genotype in Hunan, China and its attachment protein G sequence character].

OBJECTIVE

To understand the genotypes of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and the genetic character of hMPV attachment protein G sequence in Hunan, China.

METHODS

232 nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) samples from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections were collected from Hunan, China in 2005. HMPV was detected. The full length of G glycoprotein genes were amplified and sequenced. Bioinformatics soft-wares were employed to analyze the sequences.

RESULTS

17/232 (7.3%) were showed hMPV positive. And co-infection rate with other viruses is 35%. The diagnoses of these hMPV positive cases are pneumonia, bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia. Phylogenetic analysis for G genes from 13 hMPVs revealed the existence of four major subgroups: A1, A2, B1, B2 in Hunan, China in 2005. There are four types of sequence lengths of hMPV G glycoprotein, which are 711, 675, 660, 696nt. It is different in potential N-linked glycosylation sites and number of cysteine residues among these hMPVs of Hunan, China and Beijing, China. Also it is different from those in Japan and North America.

CONCLUSION

The investigation of hMPV from Hunan, China in 2005 revealed the high speed of genetic variation and the marked character of geographic epidemic differences.