Detection of the Human Coronavirus 229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43 between 2010 and 2013 in Yamagata, Japan

Abstract

SUMMARY:The available literature on human coronaviruses (HCoVs) in Japan is limited to epidemiological studies conducted over a maximum of 1 year. We conducted a 4-year study of HCoVs by analyzing 4,342 respiratory specimens obtained in Yamagata, Japan, between January 2010 and December 2013. A pan-coronavirus reverse transcription-PCR screening assay was performed, and all HCoVpositive specimens were subsequently confirmed by sequencing of the PCR products. We detected in 332 (7.6z) HCoV strains during the study period, comprising 133 (3.1z) HCoV-NL63, 83 (1.9z) HCoV-HKU1, 78 (1.8z) HCoV-OC43, and 38 (0.9z) HCoV-229E strains. HCoV detection per year ranged from 3.5z to 9.7z. HCoVs were detected mainly in winter,

An Outbreak of Human Coronavirus OC43 during the 2014–2015 Influenza Season in Yamagata, Japan

“…However, in 2015, HCoV-OC43 was the most frequently detected HCoV with monthly detection frequencies reaching approximately 30-40z in January and February (42.5z, n ＝ 54/127 and 29.5z, n ＝ 26/88, respectively). These detection frequencies were higher than those found between 2010 and 2013 (maximum detection rate 13.6z) (10). This large HCoV-OC43 outbreak started in week 52 (December) in 2014 and continued to week 13 (March) in 2015, although a single case was detected in week 46 (November) in 2014 ( Fig.…”

“…While HCoVs are associated with respiratory symptoms ranging from mild upper respiratory tract infections to severe lower respiratory tract infections including pneumonia and bronchiolitis (1,2), previous HCoV research has been hampered by a lack of observable cytopathic effects and poor growth in cell cultures. However, increasingly sensitive detection methods, such as reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, can now identify previously undetected cases (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11).…”

“…In addition, few studies have examined the epidemiology of HCoV in Japan and the available literature is limited to descriptions representing a maximum of 1 year (6-9). Thus, we conducted a longitudinal survey between 2010 and 2013 in Yamagata, Japan, to clarify the epidemiology of HCoVs using RT-PCR methods (10) and address this gap in the literature. In 2011, we found that the monthly detection frequencies of HCoV-NL63 were higher than 20z in January and February (28.5z and 25.3z, respectively), whereas those of the other HCoVs (HCoV-229E, -OC43, -HKU1) did not exceed 20z (10).…”

“…Thus, we conducted a longitudinal survey between 2010 and 2013 in Yamagata, Japan, to clarify the epidemiology of HCoVs using RT-PCR methods (10) and address this gap in the literature. In 2011, we found that the monthly detection frequencies of HCoV-NL63 were higher than 20z in January and February (28.5z and 25.3z, respectively), whereas those of the other HCoVs (HCoV-229E, -OC43, -HKU1) did not exceed 20z (10). In light of these findings, we continued the HCoV surveillance and, thus, captured data from the largest outbreak of HCoV-OC43 reported in the last 6 years.…”

HeLa-ACE2-TMPRSS2 Cells Are Useful for the Isolation of Human Coronavirus 229E

“…We carried out pilot molecular screening studies for human coronaviruses (HCoVs) using nasopharyngeal samples from children with ARIs. These studies revealed that 4 HCoVs (HCoV-229E, -OC43, -NL63, and -HKU1) were in circulation in Yamagata between 2010 and 2015 (2,3).…”