Molecular epidemiology of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in Iranian military trainees with acute respiratory symptoms in 2017

Mohammad Hadi Karbalaie Niya; Ali Salimi Jeda; Ahmad Tavakoli; Hesam Sohani; Fahimeh Safarnezhad Tameshkel; Mahshid Panahi; Morteza Izadi; Farhad Zamani; Hossein Keyvani

doi:10.18502/ijm.v12i5.4612

Molecular epidemiology of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in Iranian military trainees with acute respiratory symptoms in 2017

Iran J Microbiol. 2020 Oct;12(5):495-502. doi: 10.18502/ijm.v12i5.4612.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Department of Medical Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Sciences and Research, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in many populations, including military recruits receiving basic training. Therefore, this study was set out to determine the molecular epidemiology, genotype and phylogenetic features of RSVs in patients with respiratory infection as a case study.

Materials and methods: In this study, military barracks of Tehran, Iran, between January to March 2017 exposed to respiratory diseases were used for sampling. Throat swabs were taken, a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) assay was performed to identify RSV and then the genotyping and phylogenetic analyses of RSVs in patients with a respiratory infection.

Results: Among 400 Iranian military trainees with respiratory symptoms, RSV infection was identified in 2.75% (11/400) using RT-PCR. Sequencing showed the incidence of type A (2.5%, n=10) to be much higher than type B (0.25%, n=1); Sore throat was the most common symptom among RSV patients. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the majority of strains from the studied samples were more consistent with those from the Philippines and the US strains.

Conclusion: This study is the first to document RSV as a major cause of acute respiratory illness among military trainees in Iran. The prevalence of RSV is substantial in the cold season and the prevalence of genotype A is dominant in the country, leading to take essential steps in preparing a preventive vaccine against this viral infection.

Keywords: Genotyping; Human respiratory syncytial virus; Military trainees; Respiratory tract infection; Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.