Piccirilli G, Chiereghin A, Pascucci MG, Frasca G, Zuntini R, Ferrari S, Gabrielli L, Landini MP, Lazzarotto T. Molecular detection and genetic characterization of circulating measles virus in northern Italy.
J Clin Virol 2016;
81:34-42. [PMID:
27310466 DOI:
10.1016/j.jcv.2016.05.018]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Laboratory diagnosis of measles virus (MV) infection and genetic characterization of circulating MV play an essential role in measles surveillance, allowing proper interventions to interrupt endemic transmission.
OBJECTIVES
We describe results obtained using serological and molecular methods to confirm MV infection among suspected cases reported in a large region in the north of Italy during 2010-2014 and the genotyping of the MV strains detected.
STUDY DESIGN
Three hundred seventy-two samples (361 urine and 11 oral fluids) were tested for MV-RNA detection. In 281 cases, the serological results for MV-IgM detection were also available.
RESULTS
A total of 276 cases were classified as confirmed measles and MV-RNA detection resulted positive for 239/276 cases. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed sporadic cases of genotypes D9 and different circulations of endemic MV strains (D8, D4 and B3).
CONCLUSIONS
This data suggests that there is still an unvaccinated part of the population maintaining the endemic circulation of MV in Italy.
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