Sequence Analysis Of Hantaviruses Partial M Segment In The Suburbs Of Qingdao

Objective To investigate the prevalence and the moleclar epidemiological features of Hantaviruses strains isolated from Qingdao area during 2001 ~2003. Methods We collected 50 blood serum samples from local Hantaviruses infected people in acute period in the suburbs of Qingdao. The partial M segment of hantavirus was amplified by the RT-nested-PCR (polymerase chain reaction )with the virus RNA extracted from blood serum as the templates. The purified PCR products were connected with the pGEM-T Easy vector, then cloned into the E.coli JM109. The recombinant plasmid DNA was confined by endonucleotidase analysis as well as white-blue clone selection. The plasmids from the positive clone were sequenced in an automated DNA sequencer (ABIDNA737), and then the available nucleotide sequence was compiled under the DNASTAR software to analyze the genetic distance.Res lts The positive rates of M segment in HFRS patients was 74%. In the suburbs of Qingdao most Hantaviruses are type HTN or SEO, and type SEO is the predominant genetic type of Hantaviruses epidemiology. Homology of partial M segments showed that the genetic distance among subtypes of SEO viruses(0. 3~ 8. 9%) was smaller than that among subtypes of HTN viruses(l. 8~13. 1%).Coclusion There are Hantavirus infection in Qingdao area, and type SEO was the predominant genetic type. The nucleotid sequence was relatively conservative in type SEO while sequence variations were high in type HTN.