Genetic Analysis of Hantaviral M Segment Isolated from Patients with Korean Hemorrhagic Fever

Cho, Jong Tae; Yoon, Sung Chul; Ahn, Cu Rie; Han, Jin Suk; Kim, Suhng Gwon; Lee, Jung Sang

Abstract

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) is an infectious disease showing diverse clinical manifestations according to different serotypes of hantavirus. Korean hemorrhagic fever(KHF), HFRS caused by Hantaan or Seoul virus in Korea, shows diverse clinical manifestations even in the same serotype of hantavirus. On the assumption that the antigenicity, nucleotide and amino acid sequence diversity of hantaviruses, as well as immune response diversity of individual KHF patient may be present, this study was performed to analyse the genetic diversity of hantaviruses isolated from patients with KHF. In the 13 samples(9 strains of hantavirus isolated from bloods, urines or autopsy tissue of KHF patients and 4 serums of KHF patients), hantaviral RNAs were extracted, cDNAs of partial M segment were amplified by RT-PCR using genus-reactive primer, amplified cDNAs were analysed by direct sequencing method, and then the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were compared with previously known sequences of four serotypes of hantavirus isolated from rodent hosts and each other by the computer assistance. The results were as follows. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of 11 samples among the 13 human isolates showed 90.3-95.5%, 86.7-97.9%, the other 1 sample 82.7%, 71.9% homology respectively to those of Hantaan virus 76-118 strain, and another 1 sample showed 83.7%, 75.3% homology respectively to those of Seoul virus B1 strain isolated from rodent host. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of 7 among 12 Hantaan samples showed differences within 5%, 10% respectively each other and high genetic similarities, but those of the other 5 among 12 Hantaan samples showed low genetic similarities each other. In conclusion, hantaviruses isolated from KHF patients showed genetic diversity compared with previously known hantaviruses isolated from rodent hosts.