Molecular analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of influenza a virus strains circulating from 2001 to 2012

• Grant number: 13/00715-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2013
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Nancy Cristina Junqueira Bellei
• Grantee: Nancy Cristina Junqueira Bellei
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Influenza viruses are common cause of acute respiratory infection and are responsible for annual epidemics and pandemics associated with varying levels of morbidity and mortality. The influenza surface glycoproteins play an important role in infection and in the spread of disease. Haemagglutinin is the main target of the humoral immune response and neuraminidase is the target of drugs commonly used to treat influenza worldwide. In recent years, studies identified mutations in influenza strains that confer resistance to the two classes of antiviral, neuraminidase inhibitors and adamantanes. In some countries, the resistance rate has reached 100% and has shown correlation with circulating viral subtype. The aim of this study is describe the pattern of circulation and molecular characteristics of the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of influenza A strains detected in the pre-pandemic period, during the 2009 pandemic and post-pandemic (2001 to 2012) and to evaluate the presence of mutations related to resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors. With the emergence of the pandemic strain in 2009, the surveillance of circulating strains and the prevalence of resistance to anti-influenza drugs has become essential, especially in regard to rapid identification of this phenomenon and possible interventions in the clinical management. Identification of permissive mutations in H1N1 pandemic and other influenza strains, could contribute to early identification of resistant strains in the future. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PEROSA, ANA HELENA; GRANATO, CELSO; BELLEI, NANCY. Detection of influenza B lineages from 2001 to 2013 in a tertiary hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, v. 110, n. 5, p. 606-610, AUG 2015. (13/00715-0)