Genetic variability of human adenoviruses species B associated to acute respiratory disease in children from São Paulo, Brazil, from 1995 to 2006

Author(s)

Juliana Cristina Marinheiro

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2009-09-25

Examining board members

Charlotte Marianna Harsi; Celso Francisco Hernandes Granato; Carlos Frederico Martins Menck; Aluisio Augusto Cotrim Segurado; Maria do Carmo Sampaio Tavares Timenetsky

• Advisor: Charlotte Marianna Harsi

Abstract

Human adenoviruses (HAdV) cause acute respiratory disease (ARD) in children and adults, being the adenovirus from species B and C the most frequently detected. With the aim of study the genetic variability of HAdV, 3087 nasopharyngeal aspirate were collected from children in São Paulo, from 1995 to 2006. PCR assay directed to adenovirus VA-RNA gene detected 677 HAdV (22%). Sequencing of the hexon and fiber genes and the E3 region were done to determine the serotypes and study genetic variability. Among the 677 adenoviruses detected 69 % were classified as species B, 23% as species C and 0,7 % as species E. Genetic variability was observed in all studied region, specially at the 7.7Orf of the E3 region and the VA-RNA gene. Genetic modifications were observed as recombination, substitutions and deletions. It is known that viral DNA genomes, as adenovirus, remain genetically stable under a variety of conditions, however, the pressure of the host on these viruses make that their evolutionary mechanisms come to operation and genetic variability are observed. (AU)