Multiplex PCR analysis of clusters of unexplained viral respiratory tract infection in Cambodia

• Published in: Virology journal Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 224
• Main Authors: Ly, Nary, Tokarz, Rafal, Mishra, Nischay, Sameroff, Stephen, Jain, Komal, Rachmat, Agus, An, Ung Sam, Newell, Steven, Harrison, Dustin J, Lipkin, W Ian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Springer-Verlag 17.12.2014; BioMed Central Ltd; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; adults; Aged; Analysis; burden of disease; Cambodia - epidemiology; Care and treatment; Child; Child, Preschool; children; Dengue fever; Diagnosis; Enterovirus; Female; Health facilities; Health surveillance; Human rhinovirus; Humans; Illnesses; Infections; Lung diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Molecular Sequence Data; Mortality; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; pathogens; patients; Phylogenetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Public health; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory syncytial virus; respiratory tract diseases; Respiratory Tract Infections - diagnosis; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - virology; Risk factors; sequence analysis; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tropical diseases; Typhoid; Virus Diseases - diagnosis; Virus Diseases - epidemiology; Virus Diseases - virology; Viruses; Viruses - classification; Viruses - genetics; Viruses - isolation & purification; Young Adult; Cambodia; Southeast Asia
• ISSN: 1743-422X; 1743-422X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12985-014-0224-x

BACKGROUND: Fevers of unknown origin constitute a substantial disease burden in Southeast Asia. In majority of the cases, the cause of acute febrile illness is not identified. METHODS: We used MassTag PCR, a multiplex assay platform, to test for the presence of 15 viral respiratory agents from 85 patients with unexplained respiratory illness representing six disease clusters that occurred in Cambodia between 2009 and 2012. RESULTS: We detected a virus in 37 (44%) of the cases. Human rhinovirus, the virus detected most frequently, was found in both children and adults. The viruses most frequently detected in children and adults, respectively, were respiratory syncytial virus and enterovirus 68. Sequence analysis indicated that two distinct clades of enterovirus 68 were circulating during this time period. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of enterovirus 68 in Cambodia and contributes to the appreciation of this virus as an important respiratory pathogen.