Molecular epidemiology and Genetic characterization of VP1 of Echovirus 18 caused Hand Foot and Mouth disease in Northern Vietnam, 2016 - 2017

Abstract

Echovirus 18 (E-18) is a common cause of Enterovirus that causes menginitis and encephalitis but in the recent years, it has been reported to hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases in China. From 2016 to 2017, E-18 was suddenly detected in HFMD patients. For understanding the circulation, pathological charactization, genetic molecular of E-18 causing HFMD, we conducted a study on the molecular epidemiological and genetic characteristics of the completed VP1 genome region of E-18 isolated from HFMD’s patients in some Vietnam Northern provinces from 2016 to 2017. The results showed that, E-18 was detected in 3 specimens (2016) and 6 specimens (2017), all specimens focused in 4 provines Phu Tho, Hai Phong, Thai Binh and Ha Giang. Most of patients (5/9 – 55.6%) were from 24 - 35 months of age. All E-18’s cases have typical HFMD’s symptoms and clinical manifestion levels are minor. Phylogenetic analysis of completed VP1 sequences revealed that all E-18 strains in our study belonged to the biggest subgenogroup 5 - 3 that contains E-18 islolated from meningitis or encephalitis patients in the world from 2014 and HFMD patients in China from 2015 - 2016. It is necessary to monitor of the E-18 circulation in HFMD patients, encephalitis and meningitis patients for understanding the evolution of pathogenic phenotypes.