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

Nary Ly,Komal Jain,Rafal Tokarz,Agus Rachmat,Stephen Sameroff,W Ian Lipkin,Dustin J Harrison,Steven Newell,Nischay Mishra,Ung Sam An

doi:10.1186/s12985-014-0224-x

Abstract

BackgroundFevers 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.MethodsWe 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.ResultsWe 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.ConclusionsThis is the first report of enterovirus 68 in Cambodia and contributes to the appreciation of this virus as an important respiratory pathogen.

Highlights

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing nations [1,2,3]
Our results are similar to published data from a Cambodian children cohort study wherein the predominant agents found were HRV and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) [17]; but differ in that we report findings in adults wherein the predominant organisms found were HRV and EV-D68
RSV is a frequent cause of respiratory disease in children and was the predominant agent detected in pediatric clusters in Ratanakiri (RK01; RSV-A) and Kampong Speu (KS02; RSV-B) respectively

Summary

Introduction

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing nations [1,2,3]. In December 2006, a passive hospital-based surveillance study was initiated to identify the causes of acute undifferentiated fever in patients seeking healthcare in Cambodia. In a separate analysis using samples from December 2006 to December 2008, 4,233 patients with respiratory disease were screened for influenza virus by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction Of these patients, 1,151 (27.2%) were positive for. In majority of the cases, the cause of acute febrile illness is not identified

Methods

Results

Conclusion