Analysis on gene sequence characteristic of hantavirus G2 segment in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Liaoning, 2017

Objective To understand the genotype and genovariation of hantavirus isolated from the patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Liaoning province in 2017.

Methods Blood samples of HFRS patients in acute phase were collected, the IgM positive serum samples were screened with ELISA and hantavirus RNA was extracted by using the whole blood samples of positive cases. The G2 segment were amplified by RT-PCR and genotyped. The representative hantavirus strains were sequenced and gene analysis was carried out with DNAStar package.

Results Ten hantavirus strains isolated were amplified by using RT-PCR, the results indicated that 4 strains belonged to HTN type and the other 6 strains belonged to SEO type. The sequencing results of the products were compared with domestic strains and some international standard strains. The nucleotide homology of 4 HTN type strains was 95.6%–98.9%, and they shared highest nucleotide homology with HTN76–118 strain (89.3%–90.1%). The nucleotide homology of 6 SEO type strains was 98.3%–99.8%, and they shared highest nucleotide homology with 80–39 strain (96.3%–96.6%). Their amino homology might be 99.3%–99.6%.

Conclusions Both SEO virus and HTN virus circulated in Liaoning province, but HTN was predominant. The G2 segment of hantavirus is highly homologous and has less variation. The genetic materials were relatively stable.