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Molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus in Kilifi district, Kenya

Paul D Scott1, Rachel Ochola, Mwanajuma Ngama

  • 1Division of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. p.scott@bham.ac.uk

Journal of Medical Virology
|August 28, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Genetic analysis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Kenyan children reveals diverse strains with global connections. RSV genotypes did not correlate with disease severity, indicating community-wide strain prevalence.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) significantly impacts infant and child health globally.
  • Understanding RSV strain diversity and transmission is crucial for disease control, especially in resource-limited settings.
  • Previous studies on RSV genetics in Kenya are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic relatedness and distribution of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strains.
  • To compare RSV genotypes from child inpatients, outpatients, and a birth cohort in Kilifi District, Kenya.
  • To analyze the phylogenetic relationships of Kenyan RSV isolates with international strains.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of nasal specimens from children under 5 years over a 4-year period via hospital and community surveillance.
  • Detection of RSV using multiplex RT-PCR.
  • Genotyping of RSV strains using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of N and G genes, and G gene sequencing for phylogenetic analysis.

Main Results:

  • 397 out of 1,044 specimens were positive for RSV.
  • Phylogenetic analysis identified two clusters for RSV group A and one for RSV group B.
  • Kenyan RSV strains showed high homology to South African and Mozambican isolates and moderate homology to Gambian isolates, with some sharing sequences with European and South American strains. A notable 60-nucleotide duplication in the G gene of an RSV-B isolate was observed.

Conclusions:

  • RSV strains circulating in Kilifi District, Kenya, exhibit genetic diversity and connections to global strains.
  • No significant difference in genotype characteristics was observed between samples from different sources (inpatients, outpatients, birth cohort), regardless of disease severity.
  • Disease-causing RSV variants likely reflect the general infections circulating within the community.

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