GENETIC DIVERSITY OF WILD-TYPE MEASLES VIRUSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL MEASLES ELIMINATION PROGRAMS

Printable Copy

GENETIC DIVERSITY OF WILD-TYPE MEASLES VIRUSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL MEASLES ELIMINATION PROGRAMS

W. J. Bellini and P. A. Rota

Abstract below; full text is at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627654/pdf/9452396.pdf

Wild-type measles viruses have been divided into distinct genetic groups according to the nucleotide sequences of their hemagglutinin and nucleoprotein genes. Most genetic groups have worldwide distribution; however, at least two of the groups appear to have a more limited circulation. To monitor the transmission pathways of measles virus, we observed the geographic distribution of genetic groups, as well as changes in them in a particular region over time. We found evidence of interruption of indigenous transmission of measles in the United States after 1993 and identified the sources of imported virus associated with cases and outbreaks after 1993. The pattern of measles genetic groups provided a means to describe measles outbreaks and assess the extent of virus circulation in a given area. We expect that molecular epidemiologic studies will become a powerful tool for evaluating strategies to control, eliminate, and eventually eradicate measles.

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

• Atkinson WL, Orenstein WA, Krugman S. The resurgence of measles in the United States, 1989-1990. Annu Rev Med. 1992;43:451–463. [PubMed]
• Rota JS, Heath JL, Rota PA, King GE, Celma ML, Carabaña J, Fernandez-Muñoz R, Brown D, Jin L, Bellini WJ. Molecular epidemiology of measles virus: identification of pathways of transmission and implications for measles elimination. J Infect Dis. 1996 Jan;173(1):32–37. [PubMed]
• Kreis S, Whistler T. Rapid identification of measles virus strains by the heteroduplex mobility assay. Virus Res. 1997 Feb;47(2):197–203. [PubMed]
• Outlaw MC, Pringle CR. Sequence variation within an outbreak of measles virus in the Coventry area during spring/summer 1993. Virus Res. 1995 Nov;39(1):3–11. [PubMed]
• Rima BK, Earle JA, Yeo RP, Herlihy L, Baczko K, ter Meulen V, Carabaña J, Caballero M, Celma ML, Fernandez-Muñoz R. Temporal and geographical distribution of measles virus genotypes. J Gen Virol. 1995 May;76(Pt 5):1173–1180. [PubMed]
• Rima BK, Earle JA, Baczko K, ter Meulen V, Liebert UG, Carstens C, Carabaña J, Caballero M, Celma ML, Fernandez-Muñoz R. Sequence divergence of measles virus haemagglutinin during natural evolution and adaptation to cell culture. J Gen Virol. 1997 Jan;78(Pt 1):97–106. [PubMed]
• Rima BK, Earle JA, Baczko K, Rota PA, Bellini WJ. Measles virus strain variations. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1995;191:65–83. [PubMed]
• Rota PA, Bloom AE, Vanchiere JA, Bellini WJ. Evolution of the nucleoprotein and matrix genes of wild-type strains of measles virus isolated from recent epidemics. Virology. 1994 Feb;198(2):724–730. [PubMed]
• Saito H, Sato H, Abe M, Harata S, Amano K, Suto T, Morita M. Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding the HA protein of a hemagglutination-defective measles virus strain. Virus Genes. 1994 Mar;8(2):107–113. [PubMed]
• Sakata H, Kobune F, Sato TA, Tanabayashi K, Yamada A, Sugiura A. Variation in field isolates of measles virus during an 8-year period in Japan. Microbiol Immunol. 1993;37(3):233–237. [PubMed]
• Devereux J, Haeberli P, Smithies O. A comprehensive set of sequence analysis programs for the VAX. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Jan 11;12(1 Pt 1):387–395. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
• Rota JS, Wang ZD, Rota PA, Bellini WJ. Comparison of sequences of the H, F, and N coding genes of measles virus vaccine strains. Virus Res. 1994 Mar;31(3):317–330. [PubMed]
• Radecke F, Spielhofer P, Schneider H, Kaelin K, Huber M, Dötsch C, Christiansen G, Billeter MA. Rescue of measles viruses from cloned DNA. EMBO J. 1995 Dec 1;14(23):5773–5784. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
• Katayama Y, Shibahara K, Kohama T, Homma M, Hotta H. Molecular epidemiology and changing distribution of genotypes of measles virus field strains in Japan. J Clin Microbiol. 1997 Oct;35(10):2651–2653. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
• Jin L, Brown DW, Ramsay ME, Rota PA, Bellini WJ. The diversity of measles virus in the United Kingdom, 1992-1995. J Gen Virol. 1997 Jun;78(Pt 6):1287–1294. [PubMed]
• Kreis S, Whistler T. Rapid identification of measles virus strains by the heteroduplex mobility assay. Virus Res. 1997 Feb;47(2):197–203. [PubMed]
• Kreis S, Vardas E, Whistler T. Sequence analysis of the nucleocapsid gene of measles virus isolates from South Africa identifies a new genotype. J Gen Virol. 1997 Jul;78(Pt 7):1581–1587. [PubMed]
• Absence of reported measles--United States, November 1993. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1993 Dec 10;42(48):925–926. [PubMed]