Distribution of wild type 1 poliovirus genotypes in China

Poliomyelitis remains an important public health problem in China. Most cases and outbreaks are associated with wild type 1 polioviruses. To obtain an overview of type 1 poliovirus transmission in China, partial genomic sequences were compared for 24 case isolates from 12 provinces. Because polioviruses evolve rapidly during infection of humans, the genetic relationships among isolates provide a measure of the extent of epidemiologic linkage among cases. The observed genetic relationships were complex: six different genotypes, apparently derived from five separate endemic origins, were found. One genotype was recombinant, having noncapsid sequences derived from the Sabin type 1 vaccine strain and capsid sequences derived from a genotype indigenous to several northern and eastern provinces. Some isolates from geographically separate provinces were closely related; other isolates were related to wild polioviruses found in neighboring countries. The combination of epidemiologic and virologic analyses may facilitate the development of more effective strategies for poliomyelitis eradication.