Intratypic genome variability of echovirus type 30 in part of the VP4/VP2 coding region

Abstract

The genetic relationship of 33 echovirus type 30 (E30) isolates associated with three different outbreaks of meningitis in Norway and one outbreak in USA was assessed using direct sequencing of amplicons derived from a region covering part of the capsid proteins VP4 and VP2. The E30 sequences were compared to each other, and to other enteroviruses. Less sequence variation was observed between the isolates from a single outbreak (2–3%) than between groups of isolates from different outbreaks (4–9%). All observed nucleotide substitutions were amino acid silent. Homology between enteroviruses obtained from GenEMBL and the nucleotide consensus sequence generated from the E30 isolates varied between 44.8% (coxsackievirus A24) and 72.6% (coxsackievirus A9). Comparing the E30 sequences in this part of the genome with other enteroviruses, E30 clearly belongs to the coxsackie B-like virus group.