Title Phylogeography and phylogeny of Rhinoviruses collected from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases over successive epidemic periods in Tunisia.
Author Haddad-Boubaker, Sondes; Ben Hamda, Cherif; Ghedira, Kais; Mefteh, Khaoula; Bouafsoun, Aida; Boutiba-Ben Boubaker, Ilhem; Slim, Amin; Menif, Khaled; Triki, Henda; Ben Hadj Kacem, Mohamed Ali; Smaoui, Hanen
Journal PLoS One Publication Year/Month 2021
PMID 34807924 PMCID PMC8608298
Affiliation + expend 1.Laboratory of Microbiology, Bechir Hamza Children's Hospital, Bab-Saadoun Square, Tunis, Tunisia.

Rhinoviruses (RV) are a major cause of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) in children, with high genotypic diversity in different regions. However, RV type diversity remains unknown in several regions of the world. In this study, the genetic variability of the frequently circulating RV types in Northern Tunisia was investigated, using phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses with a specific focus on the most frequent RV types: RV-A101 and RV-C45. This study concerned 13 RV types frequently circulating in Northern Tunisia. They were obtained from respiratory samples collected in 271 pediatric SARI cases, between September 2015 and November 2017. A total of 37 RV VP4-VP2 sequences, selected among a total of 49 generated sequences, was compared to 359 sequences from different regions of the world. Evolutionary analysis of RV-A101 and RV-C45 showed high genetic relationship between different Tunisian strains and Malaysian strains. RV-A101 and C45 progenitor viruses\' dates were estimated in 1981 and 1995, respectively. Since the early 2000s, the two types had a wide spread throughout the world. Phylogenetic analyses of other frequently circulating strains showed significant homology of Tunisian strains from the same epidemic period, in contrast with earlier strains. The genetic relatedness of RV-A101 and RV-C45 might result from an introduction of viruses from different clades followed by local dissemination rather than a local persistence of an endemic clades along seasons. International traffic may play a key role in the spread of RV-A101, RV-C45, and other RVs.

StrainID RV Species Serotype Length(nt) Country Year Strain Name
CNM01300 C 43 429 Tunisia 2016 HRV46.Tun.10.2016
CNM01305 C 23 452 Tunisia 2017 HRV33.Tun.06.2017
CNM01310 C 45 429 Tunisia 2017 HRV13.Tun.03.2017
CNP01302 C 53 426 Tunisia 2017 HRV43.Tun.05.2017
CNP01307 C 13 455 Tunisia 2017 HRV19.Tun.10.2017
CNP01312 C 53 443 Tunisia 2016 HRV07.Tun.09.2016
CNS01303 C 45 431 Tunisia 2017 HRV42.Tun.03.2017
CNS01308 C 45 345 Tunisia 2017 HRV16.Tun.05.2017
CNZ01301 C 45 429 Tunisia 2017 HRV44.Tun.06.2017
CNZ01306 C 43 429 Tunisia 2016 HRV27.Tun.10.2016
CNZ01311 C 43 429 Tunisia 2016 HRV08.Tun.10.2016
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