Genotype Analysis of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic Using WholeGenome Sequencing: A Prospective, Single-Center Study in Korea From 2019 to 2022
10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e206
- Author:
Bonhyang NA
1
;
Yu Jin PARK
;
Jieun SEO
;
Miri PARK
;
Jee Yeon BAEK
;
Ji Young LEE
;
Minyoung KIM
;
Jong Gyun AHN
;
Seung Tae LEE
;
Ji-Man KANG
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2024;39(28):e206-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a highly transmissible virus, is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections. We examined molecular changes in the RSV genome before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Korea, and investigated whether drug-resistant mutations were present.
Methods:In this prospective, single-center study, RSV-positive respiratory samples were collected between September 2019 and December 2022. Long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed, and the presence of known drug-resistant substitutions for palivizumab, nirsevimab, and suptavumab was investigated.
Results:Overall, 288 respiratory samples were collected from 276 children. WGS data were available for 133 samples (71 and 62 samples from the pre- and post-pandemic periods, respectively). All RSV-A strains (n = 56) belonged to the GA2.3.5 (ON1) genotype, whereas all RSV-B strains (n = 77) belonged to the GB5.0.5a (BA) genotype. No significant differences in genotypes were observed between the pre- and post-pandemic periods. In addition, no notable mutations related to nirsevimab or palivizumab resistance were detected in the F gene. However, the L172Q and S173L substitutions, which are known to confer resistance to suptavumab, were present in all RSV-B samples.
Conclusion:Despite the unprecedented interruption of RSV seasonality, there were no significant molecular changes in circulating RSV strains in Korea related to nirsevimab or palivizumab resistance before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, RSV-specific drug-resistance substitutions for suptavumab were identified.
