Echovirus 9 genetic diversity detected in whole-capsid genome sequences obtained directly from clinical specimens using next generation sequencing

Abstract

Abstract Echovirus 9 (E9) has been detected in an increased number of symptomatic patient samples received by the National Enterovirus Reference Laboratory in Hungary during 2018 compared to previously reported years. Formerly identified E9 viruses from different specimen types detected from patients of various ages and showing differing clinical signs were chosen for the detailed analysis of genetic relationships and potential variations within the viral populations. We used next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of 3,900 nucleotide long amplicons covering the entire capsid coding region of the viral genome without isolation, directly from clinical samples. Compared to the E9 reference strain, the viruses showed about 79% nucleotide and around 93% amino acid sequence similarity. The four new viral genome sequences had 1-20 nucleotide differences between them also resulting in 6 amino acid variances in the coding region, including 3 in the structural VP1 capsid protein. One virus from a patient with hand, foot, and mouth disease had two amino acid changes in the VP1 capsid protein. An amino acid difference was also detected in the non-structural 2C gene of one virus sequenced from a throat swab sample from a patient with meningitis, compared to the faecal specimen taken two days later. Two amino acid changes, one in the capsid protein, were found between faecal samples of meningitis patients of different ages. Sequencing the whole capsid genome revealed several nucleotide and amino acid differences between E9 virus strains detected in Hungary in 2018.