Update on molecular characterization of coxsackievirus B5 strains

Among Coxsackie B viruses, Coxsckievirus B5 is one of the most predominant serotypes in human, it is frequently associated with cases of neurological diseases, epidemics of meningitis and is a common cause of cardiomyopathy and diabetes. In the present study 27 isolates of Coxsackievirus B5 from North Africa, obtained from cerebrospinal fluid and stool samples of healthy individuals, patients with acute flaccid paralysis or aseptic meningitis were investigated by partial sequencing in the 5' half of the VP1 region and compared to the up-to-date published Coxsackievirus B5 sequences in the same genomic region. Four distinct genomic groups and ten different clusters were individualized. Most of the isolates from Algeria and Tunisia belonged to two clusters. For both, the sequences from North Africa clustered mainly with sequences from European countries, the majority isolated recently during the 2000s. The analysis of the alignment of amino-acids sequences in the VP1 gene revealed four major substitutions in strains from different clusters, we also noticed changes in the BC-loop region; this region is associated with viral antigenicity. This study permit to better identify circulating Coxsackievirus B5 strains throughout the world and their genetic relationship. The protein analysis showed changes that could imply some antigenic significance. J. Med. Virol. 83:1247-1254, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.