HPeV-3 predominated among Parechovirus A positive infants in the summer of 2013-2014 in Queensland, Australia.

Abstract

Parechoviruses (HPeV) are not new viruses and are found in the respiratory tract and central nervous system of children and adults in conjunction with a range of acute illnesses. During an Australian outbreak of HPeV in the summer of 2013, we performed PCR-based screening and genotyping to determine whether ill Queensland infants were infected by HPeV. HPeVs were detected among 25/62 samples, identified as HPeV-3 from 23 that could be genotyped. These variants closely matched those occurring during and after the 2013 HPeV season. The inclusion of HPeV screening should be considered among acutely ill young infants during summer.\n\nHighlightsO_LIHPeV-3 was the most common Parechovirus A genotype in Queensland summer of 2013/14\nC_LIO_LIHPeV testing should be routine among testing of infants with acute CNS - related symptoms\nC_LIO_LIHPeV is a seasonal virus\nC_LIO_LISubgenomic phylogenetic analysis of HPeVs can be confounded by the presence of recombination\nC_LI