Genetic variants of parvovirus B19 circulating in Belarus during the epidemic cycle of infection (2005–2016)

Abstract

Human parvovirus infection is characterized by a variety of clinical manifestations. Based on the genetic analysis, genotypes 1a, 1b, 2, 3a, 3b of parvovirus B19 are distinguished, which have different geographical distribution. In the period 2005–2016, in Belarus 210 strains of parvovirus B19 isolated from the patients with various forms of parvovirus infection, mainly erythema infectiosum, were genotyped. All strains, except one, belonged to genotype 1a. One strain belonged to genotype 3b and was isolated from a child with aplastic crisis who arrived in Belarus from Kazakhstan for medical care. On the phylogenetic tree, the strains of genotype 1a formed two groups related to the subtypes 1a1 and 1a2. During the 12-year observation, both subtypes circulated in Belarus, but with varying intensity. In the highest incidence years, as well as one or two years before and after this (2005–2008 and 2013–2016), strains of subtype 1a2 predominated in circulation. During the period of low incidence (2009–2012), the dominant position belonged to subtype 1a1. The average genetic distance inside each subtype was 0.51 % for 1a1 and 0.56 % for 1a2. Between subtypes it was also small – 1.32 %. It can be assumed that subtype 1a2 is more new for Belarus and therefore might be connected with the increase of morbidity.