Genetic characterization of varicella-zoster virus in Dali, Yunnan province, 2023-2024
10.3760/cma.j.cn112866-20250122-00014
- VernacularTitle:2023—2024年云南大理地区水痘-带状疱疹病毒基因特征分析
- Author:
Fei WANG
1
;
Yanzhe HAO
;
Jianbo ZHANG
;
Hongxia LI
;
Cuiling XU
;
Yuxi CAO
;
Libo WANG
;
Yiman DONG
;
Junyan LI
;
Liying SHI
;
Xiaoguang ZHANG
Author Information
1. 中国疾病预防控制中心病毒病预防控制所 传染病溯源预警与智能决策全国重点实验室，北京 102206
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Varicella-Zoster virus;
Genotyping;
Whole-genome;
Next-generation sequencing
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology
2025;39(2):195-201
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To analyze the genetic characteristics of the prevalent strains of Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) in the population of Dali, Yunnan, and to understand its evolutionary status in the population of Dali.Methods:Herpes fluid and 163 sera were collected from 249 patients clinically suspected to have varicella or herpes zoster in the Department of Dermatology of the Second People′s Hospital of Dali city, Yunnan province, China, from 2023 to 2024. The levels of VZV-specific IgG and IgM antibodies in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Viral DNA was extracted from the herpes fluid, and the cycle threshold ( Ct) of the samples was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and some samples with Ct ≦ 22 were selected for sequencing by next-generation sequencing technology (next-generation sequencing). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to obtain 90 whole genome sequences of VZV, and the sequencing result were compared with the sequences of reference strains for multiple sequence comparison and evolutionary analysis. Snapgene was used to translate the nucleotides into amino acids, and the result were compared with the amino acid sequences of the reference strain. Results:Of the 90 VZV whole-genome sequences, one whole-genome sequence was from an adult varicella patient, and the remaining 89 whole-genome sequences were from herpes zoster patients. The serum-specific IgG antibody positivity rate was 99.4%, and the IgM antibody positivity rate was 52.8%. The result of both single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) site typing and genome-wide phylogenetic tree analysis showed that 83 of the 90 VZV whole-genome sequences in this study were on the same branch as Clade 2, and 7 VZV whole-genome sequences were on the branch of Clade 9.Conclusions:The main endemic branch in Dali region in 2023-2024 was Clade 2, with the emergence of Clade 9 branch; there were amino acid mutations in the proteins encoded by ORF22 and ORF68 in 83 VZV whole genome sequences of Clade 2 branch, and the mutations did not cause significant changes to the protein structure.
