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Cocirculation of genotypes D4 and D6 in Greece during the 2005 to 2006 measles epidemic

Stavros N Kokotas1, Eugenia Bolanaki, Dionyssios Sgouras

  • 1Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Measles National Reference Centre of Southern Greece, Vasilissis Sofias 127, Athens, Greece. stav71@yahoo.com

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
|July 16, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Genetic analysis of measles virus strains during a 2005-2006 outbreak in Greece revealed two genotypes, D6 and D4. The D4 genotype was newly identified in Greece, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance to monitor measles transmission and vaccination effectiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Global measles elimination strategies emphasize genetic characterization of wild-type virus strains.
  • Effective measles surveillance is crucial for tracking virus transmission and vaccine effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To genotype measles virus strains from the 2005-2006 Greek outbreak.
  • To analyze nucleotide variation and phylogenetic relationships of circulating measles strains.
  • To identify novel genotypes or significant genetic diversity within measles virus populations in Greece.

Main Methods:

  • Genotyping of 34 measles virus strains isolated from clinical samples.
  • Nucleotide sequence analysis.
  • Phylogenetic analysis to determine genetic relationships.

Main Results:

  • Co-circulation of two measles virus genotypes, D6 and D4, was identified.
  • The D4 genotype was detected in Greece for the first time.
  • D4 strains showed identical nucleotide sequences, while D6 isolates formed three distinct subgroups, with two showing significant genetic and phenotypic differences from existing GenBank sequences.

Conclusions:

  • Ongoing measles surveillance in Greece is essential.
  • Continued monitoring will aid in understanding measles transmission dynamics.
  • Surveillance supports the assessment of measles immunization program effectiveness and the eventual documentation of virus elimination.

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