Analysis of the genetic characteristics of varicella-zoster virus prevalent in Qinghai province from 2020 to 2024
10.3760/cma.j.cn112866-20250306-00049
- VernacularTitle:2020—2024年青海省水痘-带状疱疹病毒基因特征分析
- Author:
Lixia FAN
1
;
Jinyuan GUO
;
Qianlan LI
;
Yan ZHANG
;
Xiaotong WANG
;
Zhijian TANG
;
Chunxiang WANG
Author Information
1. 青海省疾病预防控制中心检验检测中心，西宁 810007
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Varicella-zoster virus;
Genotype;
Wild strain;
Vaccine strain
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology
2025;39(4):468-473
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To understand the genetic characteristics of varicella-zoster virus（VZV）prevalent in Qinghai province，China since 2020.Methods:A total of 54 pharyngeal swab specimens were collected from sporadic suspected varicella cases in Qinghai province in 2020，2023，and 2024. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for etiological screening of the specimens. Sequencing of three genes，namely ORF22，ORF38，and ORF62，and single-nucleotide polymorphism（SNP）analysis were performed on VZV nucleic acid-positive specimens.Results:All 54 suspected varicella cases were diagnosed with VZV infection，and three gene sequences were successfully obtained from 53 specimens. The results of genotype identification showed that all VZV infection case specimens obtained in this study in Qinghai province were wild strains. Among them，4 specimens in 2020 were of clade 2 type；among 14 specimens in 2023，7 were of clade 2 type and the remaining 7 were of clade 5 type；among 35 specimens in 2024，27 were of clade5 type，5 were of clade 2 type，and 3 were of clade 4 type. The SNP results showed that in 2023 and 2024，one specimen each had an A→G base mutation at position 37 990，and in 2024，3 specimens had a T→C base mutation at position 37946. Among them，the sequences containing the former mutation have been prevalent and spread in multiple regions of China，and the latter has not been reported in other regions of China.Conclusion:From 2020 to 2024 in Qinghai province，at least three genotypes of VZV，namely clade 2 type，clade 5 type，and clade 4 type，co-prevailed，and the clade 5 genotype of VZV may become the dominant prevalent strain.
