Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
Detection of Polyfunctional T Cells in Children Vaccinated with Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine via the Flow Cytometry Technique
Published on: September 23, 2022
Outbreak of Enterovirus D68 Among Children in Japan-Worldwide Circulation of Enterovirus D68 Clade B3 in 2018
Tatsuki Ikuse1, Yuta Aizawa1, Takayuki Yamanaka2
1From the Department of Pediatrics, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences.
Insights
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) caused a rise in pediatric asthma-like respiratory illnesses in Japan in 2018. The globally dominant B3 clade was identified, highlighting the need for continued EV-D68 surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a known cause of asthma-like respiratory illness in children.
- Global outbreaks of EV-D68 have been reported, with a significant event in the United States in 2014.
- An increase in pediatric cases with similar symptoms was observed in Niigata, Japan, in 2018.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of EV-D68 in the observed increase of asthma-like respiratory illness in children in Niigata, Japan.
- To identify the specific clade of EV-D68 responsible for the outbreak.
- To analyze the seasonal variation of such illnesses in 2018.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study was conducted on children hospitalized with asthma-like respiratory illness between October and November 2018.
- Nasopharyngeal samples were collected and tested for EV-D68 using RT-PCR.
- Phylogenetic analysis of detected EV-D68 strains was performed to determine their clade and genetic relationships.
Main Results:
- EV-D68 was detected in 47% (22/47) of hospitalized children during the study period.
- All identified EV-D68 strains belonged to the B3 clade.
- The B3 clade has been a recurring dominant strain in global EV-D68 outbreaks since 2014.
Conclusions:
- EV-D68 was confirmed as the causative pathogen for the surge in pediatric asthma-like respiratory illness in Japan in 2018.
- The B3 clade, prevalent in worldwide outbreaks, was responsible for this specific event.
- Ongoing detection and detailed virologic analysis of EV-D68 are crucial for global surveillance and understanding its epidemiology.
Background:
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) causes asthma-like respiratory infection in children. Several EV-D68 outbreaks have been reported worldwide since the largest outbreak occurred in the United States in 2014. We experienced an accumulation of pediatric cases with asthma-like respiratory illness in Niigata, Japan, in 2018.
Study Design:
To determine whether EV-D68 was responsible for the case accumulation, this prospective observational study evaluated children hospitalized in 1 of 8 hospitals with asthma-like respiratory illness in Niigata, Japan, during October and November 2018. Diagnoses were made by EV-D68-specific RT-PCR using nasopharyngeal samples. The clade was identified by sequence analyses, and a phylogenetic tree was created. To evaluate seasonal variation, data from pediatric cases with asthma-like respiratory illness in 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results:
In 2018, 114 children were hospitalized with asthma-like respiratory illness in October and November, and 47 nasopharyngeal samples were collected. EV-D68 was detected in 22/47 (47%) patients during the study period. The phylogenetic tree revealed that all strains belonged to the clade B3 branch, which has been detected worldwide every 2 years since 2014.
Conclusions:
EV-D68 was the associated pathogen for asthma-like respiratory illness in children in Japan in 2018. Clade B3, the dominant clade in outbreaks worldwide, was responsible for the outbreak. Detection and detailed virologic analysis of EV-D68 is important as part of worldwide surveillance, as it will aid in understanding the epidemiologic characteristics of EV-D68 infection.
More Related Videos
12:32EPA Method 1615. Measurement of Enterovirus and Norovirus Occurrence in Water by Culture and RT-qPCR. Part III. Virus Detection by RT-qPCR
Published on: January 16, 2016
12:20Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes: A Functional Genomics Tool for the Study of Positive-strand RNA Viruses
Published on: December 29, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
01:18Steps in Outbreak Investigation
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...