Isolation and characterization of a highly evolved type 3 vaccine-derived poliovirus in China

Xiaowei Zhang1, Chong Qin1, Wei Li1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.

Virus Research
|July 4, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A highly evolved type 3 poliovirus (VDPV) strain, WIV14, was identified in China. This divergent strain, with over 7 years of evolution, highlights the risk of VDPVs and the need for high vaccination rates.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Poliovirus (PV) remains a global health concern, with vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs) posing a risk.
  • Type 3 VDPVs are less common than type 1 and 2, making their emergence significant.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize a novel, highly divergent type 3 VDPV strain.
  • To assess the evolutionary history and biological properties of the identified VDPV strain.
  • To evaluate the implications for poliovirus surveillance and vaccination strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and whole-genome sequencing of the VDPV strain WIV14 from a clinical sample.
  • Comparative genomic analysis of WIV14 against the Sabin 3 vaccine strain.
  • Estimation of evolutionary time based on nucleotide divergence in the P1/capsid region.
  • Assessment of biological characteristics, including temperature sensitivity and plaque size.

Main Results:

  • Identification of a highly evolved type 3 VDPV strain, WIV14, isolated in China in 2014.
  • WIV14 genome shows multiple substitutions compared to Sabin 3, including reversion of key attenuation sites.
  • Estimated evolutionary time of over 7 years, suggesting prolonged replication.
  • WIV14 exhibits non-temperature-sensitive behavior and produces large plaques, differing from attenuated strains.

Conclusions:

  • The emergence of highly divergent type 3 VDPVs poses a potential risk.
  • Long-term replication of VDPVs can lead to significant genetic and phenotypic changes.
  • Maintaining high vaccination coverage and herd immunity is crucial for preventing VDPV emergence and spread.

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