RESEARCH ARTICLE
Phylogenesis and Clinical Aspects of Pandemic 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection
Massimo Ciccozzi 1, Muhammed Babakir-Mina 2, 3, Alessandra Lo Presti 1, Fabbio Marcuccilli 2, Carlo Federico Perno 2, 3, Marco Ciotti*, 2
1 Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanita’, Rome, Italy
2 Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Foundation Polyclinic Tor Vergata, Viale Oxford, 81- 00133, Rome, Italy
3 Virology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemistry, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2011Volume: 5
First Page: 22
Last Page: 26
Publisher Id: TOVJ-5-22
DOI: 10.2174/1874357901105010022
Article History:
Received Date: 29/7/2010Revision Received Date: 6/10/2010
Acceptance Date: 6/10/2010
Electronic publication date: 7/4/2011
Collection year: 2011
© Ciccozzi et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.
open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
During the spring of 2009, a new influenza A (H1N1) virus of swine origin emerged and spread worldwide causing a pandemic influenza. Here, 329 naso-pharyngeal swabs collected from patients with flu-like symptoms were analyzed by real-time PCR for the presence of H1N1 2009 pandemic virus. Twenty-five samples collected from immunocompetent and immunodepressed patients contained the H1N1 pandemic virus. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes showed no obvious differences in terms of similarity and/or homology between the sequences identified in immunocompetent individuals and those obtained from immunocompromised patients. Pre-existing clinical conditions may influence the outcome of H1N1 disease.
Keywords: H1N1 pandemic virus, swine flu, respiratory infections, phylogenetic analysis, influenza surface antigens..
