Newly emerging C group enteroviruses may elude diagnosis due to a divergent 5'-UTR

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Human enteroviruses (HEVs) are a diverse group of viruses with significant public health implications.
• HEV-105 was first identified in 2012, with limited subsequent reports.
• The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of enteroviruses is crucial for replication and is a primary target for diagnostic assays.

Observation:

• A novel HEV-C105 strain was identified in a pediatric patient presenting with an upper respiratory tract infection in Cyprus.
• Phylogenetic analysis based on the 5'-UTR sequence revealed that this isolate represents a distinct cluster within the HEV-C species.
• The identified HEV-C105 strain possesses a 5'-UTR that is significantly different from previously characterized enteroviruses.

Findings:

• The novel HEV-C105 isolate clusters with recently identified HEV-C viruses.
• Sequence analysis highlights a distinct 5'-UTR in this HEV-C105 strain compared to other known enteroviruses.
• This genetic divergence has direct consequences for the design and efficacy of current diagnostic tools.

Implications:

• Diagnostic assays targeting the 5'-UTR may require updates to effectively detect this HEV-C105 variant.
• Increased laboratory awareness of this distinct HEV-C105 strain could improve detection rates.
• Further research may uncover additional genotypes within this enterovirus subspecies, expanding our understanding of HEV diversity.