Elsevier

Virus Research

Volume 76, Issue 1, 1 July 2001, Pages 71-78
Virus Research

Genetic analysis of Asian measles virus strains – new endemic genotype in Nepal☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1702(01)00255-6Get rights and content

Abstract

In many parts of Asia measles virus (MV) continues to be endemic. However, little is known about the genetic characteristics of viruses circulating on this continent. This study reports the molecular epidemiological analysis based on the entire nucleocapsid (N) and hemagglutinin (H) genes of the first isolates from Nepal and Taiwan, as well as of recent MV strains from India, Indonesia, and China. Four isolates collected in various regions in Nepal during 1999 belonged to a new genotype, tentatively called D8. Another Nepalese isolate and one from India belonged to genotype D4. The diversity of the Nepalese strains indicated that measles continues to be endemic in this country. The isolate from Taiwan grouped with D3 viruses and one Chinese strain isolated in The Netherlands was assigned to the previously described clade H, known to be endemic in Mainland China. Molecular characterization emerges as an important tool for monitoring virus endemicity and vaccination efforts.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of M.W.G. van der Bildt, the support of the WHO regional staff in Nepal, and the contribution of the staff from hospitals involved in virus collection: Drs. S.M.S. Pradhan, S.P. Gautam, and Sulochana from the Kathmandu Veterinary Hospital; Prof. Dr. N.R. Tuladher, Dr. C. Sharma from the Teaching Hospital of Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu; Dr. H. Dixit from the Kanti Children Hospital, Kathmandu; Dr. P.M.E. Wertheim-van Dillen, Dr. J. Weel,

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    ☆

    Note: Nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank™ database with the accession numbers AJ250060–AJ250073, AF171231, AF171232, AF193512, AF193513.

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