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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2007, p. 3540-3545, Vol. 45, No. 11
0095-1137/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00979-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Novel Approach for Genotyping Varicella-Zoster Virus Strains from Germany{triangledown}

Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit,1* Martin Stürmer,1 Anke Hahn,1 Susanne G. Schäd,2 Gerd Gross,2 Rainer G. Ulrich,3 Gerald Heckel,4 and Hans Wilhelm Doerr1

Institute of Medical Virology, Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, D-60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany,1 Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Rostock, D-18055 Rostock, Germany,2 Friedrich Loeffler Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, D-17493 Greifswald, Germany,3 Computational and Molecular Population Genetics Laboratory, Zoological Institute, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland4

Received 10 May 2007/ Returned for modification 29 June 2007/ Accepted 31 August 2007

In this study, we present a novel genotyping scheme to classify German wild-type varicella-zoster virus (VZV) strains and to differentiate them from the Oka vaccine strain (genotype B). This approach is based on analysis of four loci in open reading frames (ORFs) 51 to 58, encompassing a total length of 1,990 bp. The new genotyping scheme produced identical clusters in phylogenetic analyses compared to full-genome sequences from well-characterized VZV strains. Based on genotype A, D, B, and C reference strains, a dichotomous identification key (DIK) was developed and applied for VZV strains obtained from vesicle fluid and liquor samples originating from 42 patients suffering from varicella or zoster between 2003 and 2006. Sequencing of regions in ORFs 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, and 58 identified 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including two novel ones, SNP 89727 and SNP 92792 in ORF51 and ORF52, respectively. The DIK as well as phylogenetic analysis by Bayesian inference showed that 14 VZV strains belonged to genotype A, and 28 VZV strains were classified as genotype D. Neither Japanese (vaccine)-like B strains nor recombinant-like C strains were found within the samples from Germany. The novel genotyping scheme and the DIK were demonstrated to be practical and simple and allow the highly efficient replication of phylogenetic patterns in VZV initially derived from full-genome DNA sequence analyses. Therefore, this approach may allow us to draw a more comprehensive picture of wild-type VZV strains circulating in Germany and Central Europe by high-throughput procedures in the future.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Medical Virology, Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Paul Ehrlich Strasse 40, D-60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Phone: 49-69-6301-83062. Fax: 49-69-6301-83061. E-mail: jonassi{at}gmx.de

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 12 September 2007.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, November 2007, p. 3540-3545, Vol. 45, No. 11
0095-1137/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.00979-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Schmidt-Chanasit, J., Olschlager, S., Gunther, S., Jaeger, G., Bleymehl, K., Schad, S. G., Heckel, G., Ulrich, R. G., Doerr, H. W. (2008). Molecular Analysis of Varicella-Zoster Virus Strains Circulating in Tanzania Demonstrating the Presence of Genotype M1. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 3530-3533 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Schmidt-Chanasit, J., Bleymehl, K., Rabenau, H. F., Ulrich, R. G., Cinatl, J. Jr., Doerr, H. W. (2008). In Vitro Replication of Varicella-Zoster Virus in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 2122-2124 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Schmidt-Chanasit, J., Bleymehl, K., Schad, S. G., Gross, G., Ulrich, R. G., Doerr, H. W. (2008). Novel Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein E Gene Mutations Associated with Genotypes A and D. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 325-327 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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