Analysis of genetic variability of respiratory syncytial virus groups A and B in Kuwait

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequently identified viral agent in infants, children, and elderly people with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). This study is the only one of its kind in Kuwait, and its purpose was to investigate the genetic variability of the G protein gene in RSV strains prevalent in Kuwait. Respiratory samples were collected from patients with ARTIs in various hospitals in Kuwait and subjected to reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) amplifying a fragment of the G gene of RSV. A total of 305 samples were collected between January and mid-December 2016, and 77 (25.2%) were positive for RSV. Group A viruses were predominant over group B viruses; the RSV-A group was detected in 52 (67.5%) of the positive samples, while the RSV-B group was detected in 25 (32.5%) of the positive samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all RSV-A strains grouped into eight clusters of identical sequences of untyped strains. Twelve RSV-B strains, on the other hand, belonged to the RSV-B/BA10 genotype, while the rest were untyped. These data suggest that new and untyped strains of RSV-A group likely predominated in Kuwait and that the BA10 genotype of the RSV-B group became the dominant genotype in the 2016 season.

Systematic Review of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prevalence, Genotype Distribution, and Seasonality in Children from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

“…They found out that the RSV A Kuwaiti strains were more closely related to the new RSV A/ON1 genotype [67]. They also reported that the RSV B/BA10 genotype was the predominant strain among Kuwaiti RSV B strains, while the rest of the Kuwaiti RSV B strains formed three clusters of untyped genotypes [67]. RSV B/BA genotype emerged in the late 1990s and then spread globally and became the predominant strain in Kuwait [67,68].…”

“…In Kuwait, Madi et al [67] reported that all RSV A strains collected from the patients were untyped genotypes that did not belong to any of the known strains of RSV A in the GenBank database. Besides, the data showed that these Kuwaiti strains formed different clusters of identical sequences.…”

“…Besides, the data showed that these Kuwaiti strains formed different clusters of identical sequences. These data indicate that there is heterogeneity among the Kuwaiti strains, which differ from the known RSV A strains [67]. To investigate whether these strains were new, they conducted whole-genome sequencing [67].…”

“…These data indicate that there is heterogeneity among the Kuwaiti strains, which differ from the known RSV A strains [67]. To investigate whether these strains were new, they conducted whole-genome sequencing [67]. They found out that the RSV A Kuwaiti strains were more closely related to the new RSV A/ON1 genotype [67].…”

“…To investigate whether these strains were new, they conducted whole-genome sequencing [67]. They found out that the RSV A Kuwaiti strains were more closely related to the new RSV A/ON1 genotype [67]. They also reported that the RSV B/BA10 genotype was the predominant strain among Kuwaiti RSV B strains, while the rest of the Kuwaiti RSV B strains formed three clusters of untyped genotypes [67].…”