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Generation, Amplification, and Titration of Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
Published on: April 4, 2019
Recombinant Sabin environmental isolates in Greece and Cyprus
E Paximadi1, I Karakasiliotis, D Papaventsis
1Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Microbiology-Virology Laboratory, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece.
Journal of Applied Microbiology
|November 23, 2007
Summary
Recombinant polioviruses (PVs) were detected in sewage samples from Greece and Cyprus. These rare tripartite recombinants, identified in the 2C viral region, highlight the need for continued environmental surveillance of vaccine-derived PVs.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Polioviruses (PVs) pose a significant public health risk, necessitating ongoing surveillance.
- Recombination events in PVs can lead to increased transmissibility, forming circulating vaccine-derived PVs (cVDPVs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of recombinant PVs in sewage samples collected from Greece and Cyprus.
- To characterize the nature and genomic location of detected PV recombinants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 21 Sabin strain PV isolates from sewage treatment plants in Greece (1996) and Cyprus (2003).
- Detection and characterization of recombinant PVs within the 2C genomic viral region.
Main Results:
- Three PV isolates were identified as tripartite recombinants (S3/S2/S1) within the 2C region.
- The recombination sites were located at the 5' and 3' ends of the 2C region, forming a tripartite hybrid 2C protein.
- Additionally, three bipartite S2/S1 recombinants and one S2/S3 bipartite recombinant were identified.
Conclusions:
- The detection of recombinant cVDPVs is critical due to their potential for increased transmissibility.
- Recombinant cVDPVs pose a threat to public health, emphasizing the importance of environmental surveillance during and after PV eradication efforts.

