MOLECULAR-GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PARVOVIRUS B19 ISOLATES CIRCULATING IN THE NORTH-WESTERN FEDERAL DISTRICT
Aim. Genotyping and molecular genetic characteristics of parvovirus B19, circulating in the NorthWest Federal District. Material and Methods. The material of the study is based on serum samples from 821 patients with maculopapular rash negative for antibodies IgM-measles and IgM-rubella were received at the St. Petersburg Regional Center for Measles and Rubella Surveillance in 2009-2017. In the present study we used genotyping by direct sequencing of the NS1/VP1 region of Parvovirus B19 genome. Results. DNA of the virus was detected in 59 (42.4%) of seropositive patients. To assess the heterogeneity of isolates, 14 samples were selected from patients from geographically remote regions of the NWFO, of different ages, regardless of gender, with a high viral load (10<sup>6</sup>-10<sup>7</sup> copies/ml). Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the isolates showed that only the genotype 1A was detected in all isolates. The nucleotide sequences can be divided into two subgroups: 13 isolates (92.8%) belong to the subgroup 1A2, one isolate to the subgroup 1A1. Conclusion. The introduction of B19 screening from patients with fever / rash can provide meaningful information on the prevalence of parvovirus infection in the Russian Federation. Identifying new mutations of the virus and further analysis of their possible relationships with the course of the mutation disease can help in the development of medicines, as well as in the development of an effective vaccine against the parvovirus B19.