| Autor: |
Dudin GA; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Aziz IM; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Alzayed RM; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.; Biology Department, College of Science, Jouf University, Sakaka 41412, Saudi Arabia., Ahmed A; Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Hussain T; Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Somily AM; Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Alsaadi MM; Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia., Almajhdi FN; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. |
| Abstrakt: |
Presence of a large foreign workforce and the annual gathering of people for pilgrimage from around the globe have significantly contributed to the emergence and diversity of respiratory viruses in Saudi Arabia. Here, we report the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the H3N2 subtype of influenza A virus (IAV) in clinical samples collected from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Based on RT-PCR, IAV was found in 88 (28.3%) of the 311 samples screened. Of the 88-IAV positive samples, 43 (48.8%) were H1N1 subtype while the remaining 45 (51.2%) were found to be of the H3N2 subtype. Complete sequencing of HA and NA genes of H3N2 revealed, twelve and nine amino acid (AA) substitutions respectively, and importantly, these variations are absent in the current vaccine strains. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, the majority of H3N2 strains were grouped in the same clades as the vaccine strains. Importantly, the N-glycosylation sites at AA 135(NSS) were found to be unique to 6 strains in the investigated HA1 protein and were absent in the current vaccine strains. These data may have significant clinical implications in designing novel and population-based vaccines for IAV and underscore the need for regular monitoring of efficacy of vaccines due to emerging variants. |
