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Genomic surveillance of enterovirus D68 circulating in 2025 reveals the emergence of a novel A2/B3 recombinant lineage.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has re-emerged over the past decade as a significant respiratory pathogen associated with severe respiratory disease and acute flaccid myelitis. Its circulation has typically followed a biennial pattern, with predominance in late summer and early fall, a pattern that was temporarily disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveillance in 2025 revealed off-season circulation of EV-D68. This study describes the genomic characteristics of the 2025 EV-D68 viruses and the clinical features of affected patients. Between May and December 2025, remnant respiratory specimens positive for rhinovirus/enterovirus were screened for EV-D68 and subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using maximum-likelihood methods. Recombination was assessed using subgenomic phylogenies, SimPlot similarity and BootScan analyses, and read-level inspection. Among 1,321 patients tested, 147 (11.1%) were EV-D68-positive, and 119 (81.0%) yielded complete genomes. EV-D68 positivity increased in July 2025, peaked in August (~21%), and remained elevated through September and October, exceeding levels observed in 2024. Patients had a median age of 36 years, with infections disproportionately affecting older adults. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated exclusive circulation of subclade A2. Five genomes formed a distinct recombinant lineage (A2-Re). Subgenomic phylogenies showed clustering with A2 viruses in the P1 region and with B3 viruses in the P2-P3 regions. SimPlot and BootScan analyses identified a recombination breakpoint near the 2A/2B junction (~nt 3,700). The recombinant lineage was associated with temporally clustered cases in September-October. These findings demonstrate recombination between distinct EV-D68 subclades and underscore the importance of whole-genome surveillance for accurate viral characterization. Continued genomic monitoring is essential for detecting emerging variants with potential implications for transmissibility, pathogenicity, and public health preparedness.IMPORTANCEThis study highlights an increased off-season circulation of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and a higher burden of disease in adults in 2025. The identification of a novel A2-B3 recombinant lineage provides evidence of ongoing viral evolution through recombination, a mechanism that may alter transmissibility, virulence, or immune responses. Detection of this lineage in temporally clustered cases suggests local transmission and underscores the potential for rapid spread of newly emerged variants. These findings emphasize the limitations of partial genomic approaches and the critical role of whole-genome sequencing in accurately characterizing circulating strains and identifying recombination events. Enhanced genomic surveillance is essential to detect emerging variants in real time, inform diagnostic assay performance, and support public health responses. Continued monitoring of EV-D68 evolution will be important for anticipating changes in disease burden, guiding clinical awareness, and strengthening preparedness for future outbreaks.

Humans

Long-term clinical and genomic surveillance of rare respiratory enterovirus C types in France, 2013-2025.

INTRODUCTION: Rare enterovirus types assigned to species C (EV-C) display respiratory tropism and may be associated with neurological involvement, which display similarities to EV-D68 disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted continuous enterovirus/rhinovirus (EV/RV) surveillance between 2013 and 2025, including systematic EV/RV screening of all respiratory samples and reflex VP4/VP2 sequencing (a total of 5855 samples). When an EV-C strain was detected, the VP1-coding and complete genome sequence was sequenced to investigate phylogenetic relationships and to identify any recombinant forms. RESULTS: Over the 13-year period, 30 EV-C infections were identified from respiratory samples, with 23 cases (77%) detected between 2013 and 2018. EV-C105 was the most frequent type (n = 11), followed by EV-C104 (n = 8), EV-C109 (n = 6), and EV-C117 (n = 5). We also document the first detection of EV-C117 in France and only the second case reported in Europe since its initial description in 2011 in Lithuania. Clinical data were available for 25 patients, of whom 19 (76%) were children. Respiratory symptoms predominated (17/25, 68%), and 7 patients presented with lower respiratory tract infections. Hospitalization was required in 18 cases (72%), including three with ICU admissions (12%). Nearly half of the patients (12/25, 48%) had at least one risk factor for severe respiratory disease. Across all respiratory EV-C types, recovered sequences clustered with contemporary global strains. CONCLUSIONS: This long-term surveillance highlights the sustained circulation of multiple respiratory EV-C types in France and underscores the need for continued clinical and genomic monitoring to assess the evolution and pathogenic potential of these enteroviruses.

Complete genome characterization

Isolation of poliovirus from cases of acute flaccid paralysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of isolation of polio and other viruses from fecal samples in subjects with acute flaccid paralysis in northern parts of India. SETTING: Rural and Urban Immunization Centers used for Expanded Programme on Immunization. METHODS: 219 fecal samples were collected by anal tube in 1992 from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh and processed for virus isolation. RESULTS: Of 219 fecal samples, 103 (47%) were positive for viruses in the age group of 3 mo to 5 yr. Amongst the positive samples, the predominant isolated was poliovirus type 1 (70.9%) from all the States. Non polio enteroviruses were isolated from 20.4% of fecal samples. CONCLUSION: Even though poliovirus is still the most common etiologic agent for acute flaccid paralysis in northern India, non polio enteroviruses are also emerging as important causal pathogens in this condition.

Acute Disease

Epidemic acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Lagos, Nigeria.

Enterovirus 70 has recently emerged as a causative agent of epidemic acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis ( AHC ). This paper is a report of the first association of enterovirus 70 with epidemic AHC in Nigeria. Despite numerous symptoms, including reduction in visual acuity, eventual recovery in 2 to 3 weeks with no functional loss was the rule except in 11 patients. Five of these patients ended up with superficial corneal scarring. Two had evisceration for unresolving panophthalmitis, while 4 went blind from ruptured corneal abscesses or ulcers. All the 11 patients had treated themselves or used traditional medications. None of the patients had signs of involvement of the central nervous system.

Acute Disease

Coxsackievirus A6 on the rise: epidemiology, pathogenicity, evolutionary dynamics, and antiviral strategy.

SUMMARYIn recent years, coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) has become a predominant cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) worldwide, surpassing enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) and CVA16. The rise of CVA6 is of particular public health concern due to its association with atypical and severe clinical presentations, including extensive vesiculobullous eruptions and neurological complications. These diverse and often non-classical manifestations, which also occur in adults, complicate clinical diagnosis and highlight the need for enhanced molecular surveillance. Furthermore, the potential impact of enteroviral infection during pregnancy and on neonatal outcomes remains an important clinical consideration. While both structural and non-structural proteins of CVA6 are known to contribute to viral virulence, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood. Continuous evolution of CVA6 through genetic variation and frequent recombination has led to the emergence of distinct lineages and recombinants, posing substantial challenges to the development of effective antivirals and vaccines. To address these gaps, this review systematically examines the global epidemiology, pathogenic mechanisms, evolutionary dynamics, current diagnostic tools, and antiviral strategies for CVA6. By integrating these perspectives, this work aims to inform public health preparedness and guide future research toward mitigating outbreaks driven by emerging recombinants and novel enterovirus serotypes.

Humans

[Pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of heart disease caused by enteroviruses (molecular biological study)].

Molecular hybridization studies have demonstrated that human enteroviruses, including group B coxsackieviruses (CVB), are detectable in myocardial tissue of patients with acute and chronic myocarditis. As well, such infections are observed in some patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy indicating the possibility of persistent heart muscle infection. Enterovirus persistence in the human heart is supported by the discovery in various murine models of chronic myocarditis, demonstrating that coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), typically a cytolytic virus, is capable of evading immunological surveillance in a host-dependent manner. Currently attention is focused on the analysis of molecular mechanisms of virus persistence, the characterization of viral and host factors and their impact in determining the natural course of myocardial enterovirus infections. The evidence for a causal linkage of enterovirus infection with heart muscle diseases has emerged therapeutic implications. From the view of a virologist, immunosuppressive treatment of patients revealing enterovirus infection in the myocardium with steroids is clearly contraindicated. The evaluation of potent antiviral agents, such as interferons, in established in vitro and in vivo model systems of enterovirus infection is expected to contribute significantly to new therapeutic strategies in human enteroviral heart disease.

Animals

The HeLa cell receptor for enterovirus 70 is decay-accelerating factor (CD55).

Enterovirus 70 (EV70) is a recently emerged human pathogen belonging to the family Picornaviridae. The ability of EV70 to infect a wide variety of nonprimate cell lines in vitro is unique among human enteroviruses. The importance of virus receptors as determinants of viral host range and tropism led us to study the host cell receptor for this unusual picornavirus. We produced a monoclonal antibody (MAb), EVR1, which bound to the surface of HeLa cells and protected them against infection by EV70 but not by poliovirus or by coxsackievirus B3. This antibody also inhibited the binding of [35S]EV70 to HeLa cells. MAb EVR1 did not bind to monkey kidney (LLC-MK2) cells, nor did it protect these cells against virus infection. In Western immunoassays and in immunoprecipitations, MAb EVR1 identified a HeLa cell glycoprotein of approximately 75 kDa that is attached to the cell membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) is a 70- to 75-kDa GPI-anchored membrane protein that is involved in the regulation of complement and has also been shown to function as a receptor for several enteroviruses. MAb EVR1 bound to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells constitutively expressing human DAF. Anti-DAF MAbs inhibited EV70 binding to HeLa cells and protected them against EV70 infection. Transient expression of human DAF in murine NIH 3T3 cells resulted in binding of labelled EV70 and stably, transformed NIH 3T3 cells expressing DAF were able to support virus replication. These data indicate that the HeLa cell receptor for EV70 is DAF.

3T3 Cells

[Live enteroviral vaccines for the emergency nonspecific prevention of mass respiratory diseases during fall-winter epidemics of influenza and acute respiratory diseases].

The results of the 3-year controlled trials of a new method of nonspecific urgent prophylaxis of influenza and acute respiratory diseases (ADR) by immunization of healthy adults with standard live enterovirus oral vaccines, introduced in 2-3 administrations at intervals of 7-10 days, at the initial stages of autumn and winter epidemics are presented. Observations, carried out in three republics, covered more than 150,000 persons immunized with enterovirus interferonogenic vaccines. A considerable decrease in morbidity rate among the vaccinees was achieved (on the average, by 3.2 times) in comparison to that among nonimmunized subjects. The method of nonspecific prophylaxis with live enterovirus interferonogenic vaccines is recommended during outbreaks of diseases induced simultaneously by several causative agents of influenza and ARD, as well as by pathogenic enterovirus strains.

Acute Disease

EV-D68 cleaves LARP1 and PABPC1 by 3Cpro to redirect host mRNA translation machinery toward its genomic RNA.

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging pathogen associated with severe respiratory diseases and neurological complications, such as acute flaccid myelitis. EV-D68 has developed sophisticated mechanisms to hijack host translation machinery, facilitating its replication and impairing host mRNA translation. In this study, we demonstrate that EV-D68 cleaves La-related protein 1 (LARP1) and poly(A)-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 (PABPC1) through its proteases 3Cpro and 2Apro. Our results indicate that overexpressing LARP1 and PABPC1 significantly inhibits EV-D68 replication and reduces the virus-mediated suppression of host translation. While both LARP1 and PABPC1 regulate translation, they exert antiviral effects through distinct mechanisms. We found that LARP1 interacts with the 5'UTR of EV-D68 RNA through its LAM domain, and this interaction is crucial for its antiviral function. LARP1 translation modulation is also influenced by the mTOR and CDK1 signaling pathways. Viral infection inhibits mTOR and CDK1 phosphorylation, which enhances LARP1's binding to viral RNA and inhibits viral translation. To counteract this inhibition, EV-D68 cleaves LARP1 through 3Cpro, thereby promoting efficient viral translation. We also investigated other enteroviruses, such as EV-A71 and CV-A16, which similarly target LARP1 and PABPC1, indicating a conserved mechanism across enteroviruses. Our findings offer new insights into how EV-D68 manipulates host translation and highlight the potential of targeting LARP1 and PABPC1 for antiviral interventions.

Humans

The epidemiology of enteroviruses.

International and local Scottish data illustrate the epidemiology of enteroviruses in recent years. Polioviruses still predominate as causes of serious paralytic disease, except where controlled by vaccination and require continuing surveillance. Aseptic meningitis is the commonest reported illness due to enterovirus infection, but notable clinical manifestations of certain types (particularly coxsackie group A) involve the skin and mucous membranes and the respiratory tract. Gastrointestinal disturbance has been reported in some echovirus infections, and cardiac disease is particularly associated with group B coxsackie virus infections. Although most enterovirus infections are silent or trivial in severity, the trend towards periodic epidemicity of different enteroviruses involving older age-groups may entail the emergence of new disease problems of which heart disease may be one example.

Adult

High yield production of an inactivated coxsackie B3 adjuvant vaccine with protective effect against experimental myocarditis.

Dilated cardiomyopathy, perhaps chronic postviral fatigue syndrome as well as juvenile diabetes could be triggered by enteroviral infections. The frequency of sudden death after myocarditis and its relationship to enteroviral infections is disputed. Neonatal enteroviral disease is rare, but can be severe. It is also possible that enteroviruses pose a threat to immunocompromised patients, like bone marrow transplant recipients. Consequently, the emergence of chronic enteroviral diseases as a concept, prompted our attempts to produce an enteroviral vaccine. 1. Live attenuated enterovirus strains were previously in some cases shown to be suitable as vaccine candidates. We obtained neutralizing antibody titres ranging from 40-2560 against Coxsackie B3 virus (RD strain). Animals were protected to 90% against challenge infection. 2. Inactivated whole vaccine. We used beta-propiolactone to inactive Coxsackie B3 virus. 74% of the animals survived if the vaccine was prepared with Quil A matrix as adjuvant. The neutralisation antibody titres varied from < 5 to 320. By comparison aluminium hydroxide (p = 0.06) and Freund's adjuvant were inferior (p < 0.01). 3. Subunit vaccines. We have previously used the ISCOM (immunostimulatory complex) technology to produce a Coxsackie B3 subunit vaccine. High levels of neutralizing antibodies were obtained (512)-comparable to natural infection. All animals survived challenge infection after two booster doses with 16 nanogram of the ISCOM preparation. Limiting for this technique was the availability to include sufficient amount of antigenic protein material. In addition to neutralizing antibodies a cellular response might be obtainable. In conclusion we have shown that vaccine can be made against Coxsackie B3 virus with good protective effect and significant neutralisation antibody titre.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adjuvants, Immunologic

The Soriano Award Lecture. Emerging infections of the nervous system.

The epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency disease [AIDS] has focused interest on the origins of "new" infectious agents. Great plagues are well known from the distant past, but a number of novel diseases affecting the nervous system infections have emerged in recent years. The causes of such new disorders are diverse: whereas rapid mutations of microbes allow the evolution of truly novel agents, the appearance of new diseases is more often due to changes in human or vector populations or changes in societal mores that result in dissemination of preexistent microbes. Examples of recently emerging infections that involve the nervous system include the enterovirus 70 epidemics with poliomyelitis-like disease, the appearance of California virus encephalitis in the midwestern United States, the rapid spread of Lyme disease with its many neurological complications in the eastern United States, and the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom, in addition to the devastating epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which will cause nervous system disease in over half of those infected. As the world population increases and modern transportation brings us closer into a "global village" more new agents will emerge and more will be sustained. Knowledge of the molecular biology and ecology of the agents and awareness of how our actions can alter their behavior are our best defense.

Animals

Molecular epidemiology of enteroviruses with special reference to their potential role in the etiology of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). A review.

BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence suggest that enterovirus infections may be involved in the etiology of the insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Often in the literature, a reference is given to specifically diabetogenic strains of enterovirus but there is no systematic assessment about the generation of such strains in the course of evolution or about their abundance among the 64 enterovirus serotypes pathogenic to man. If enteroviruses truly are involved in the etiology of IDDM, a possibility to prevent the disease with enterovirus vaccines might become feasible. In such a situation it would be important to know which serotypes and strains are the most important ones, and whether there would be differences between the strains as regards the pathogenetic mechanisms involved. OBJECTIVE: To present a brief summary of the basic biology of enteroviruses, on existing data of genetic variation of enteroviruses, and on molecular epidemiology of human enteroviruses with special reference to the different epidemiological modes of their putative involvement in the pathogenesis of IDDM. CONCLUSIONS: Like RNA viruses in general, enteroviruses exist as a quasispecies, a mixture of genetic microvariants with a vast potential to adapt to new environments. This means that specifically beta cell-tropic and potentially diabetogenic variants could, in theory, emerge sporadically during systemic infection of any individual. The patterns of genetic diversification of enteroviruses, cocirculation of separate genetic lineages in the human populations, and the assumed geographical restrictions of endemic transmission of the lineages, allow one to hypothesize that populations with a high persisting IDDM incidence might be endemically infected by some specific strains of enteroviruses. However, so far, there is no systematically collected data supporting this hypothesis.

Amino Acid Sequence

Respiratory viruses in children attending a major referral centre in Saudi Arabia.

Viral respiratory infections are common causes of illness in infants and children. Examination of clinical specimens submitted for diagnosis during a 3-year period (August 1993-July 1996) at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH & RC) in Riyadh revealed a wide spectrum of diseases associated with the isolation of five respiratory viruses. Severity of disease ranged from mild upper respiratory illness to threatening lower respiratory illnesses including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Of the 256 isolates, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) accounted for 73 (28.5%), adenoviruses for 70 (27.3%), influenza viruses for 61 (23.8%), enteroviruses for 39 (15.2%) and para-influenza for 13 (2.3%). Viruses were found more frequently in children attending emergency or paediatric wards than in outpatients. RSV appears in November and the seasonal peak occurs during January and February. Influenza activity begins in September and peaks in November and December. Para-influenza type I emerges in winter and para-influenza type III follows the influenza epidemic and may be detected sporadically in summer. The other viruses (enteroviruses, adenoviruses) were isolated throughout the year.

Adenoviruses, Human

[Meningitis caused by enterovirus in a pediatric hospital: experience in 1996].

BACKGROUND: To know the incidence, etiology to the serotype level and epidemiological characteristics of cases of enteroviral meningitis diagnosed in a pediatric emergency service in 1996. METHODS: Inoculation of conventional cell cultures with samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), throat swabs and stools taken from children with clinically suspected meningitis. RESULTS: Enterovirus was cultured from 17 of 65 (26.2%) CSF samples with pleocytosis (more than 10 cells/mm3) and from 12 of 268 (4.5%) biologically normal samples. The identified isolates of CSF (20 of 29) were: ECHO 30 (9), ECHO 11 (7), ECHO 9 (3) and ECHO 7 (1). Most (79%) isolates were obtained between March and June. CONCLUSIONS: Enteroviral meningitis was apparently more common in spring, although the number of samples was significantly lower during the summer months. The clinical cases were sporadic, due to at least four echoviruses serotypes. The isolation of enterovirus from CSF without pleocytosis is not exceptional (41% of our isolates).

Cerebrospinal Fluid

A comparative electrophoretic examination of swine vesicular disease virus and Coxsackie B5 virus.

Purified suspensions of Coxsackie B5 virus and swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV) were prepared by harvesting and purifying cell pack virus. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis was carried out with purified N and H antigen fractions (full and empty particles). Relative migration velocity (RMV) was calculated for the N antigen fraction of 3 SVD viruses (UKG72, HK71 and Italy 66) and 2 Coxsackie B5 viruses (Faulkner and 8068). The prototype strain of Coxsackie B5 virus (Faulkner) had a low RMV almost identical to that of the first isolated strain of SVDV, Italy 66. A recent isolate of Coxsackie B5 virus (8068, isolated in UK in 1973) had a relatively high RMV very close to that of the UKG72 strain of SVDV isolated in the UK in 1972. Also the Hong Kong strain of SVDV (HK71) had a high RMV value. These observations are considered in relation to the emergence of swine vesicular disease.

Animals

Serosurvey for "acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis" virus (Enterovirus 70) antibodies in the Southeastern United States, with review of the literature and some epidemiologic implications.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) has been epidemic throughout much of the Eastern Hemisphere since its emergence in central West Africa in 1969. The disease had a distinctive clinical picture and an unusual geographic epidemiology. Between 1969 and 1975 AHC has occurred almost exclusively in crowded coastal areas of tropical countries during hot, rainy seasons. Only a few documented outbreaks have occurred in inland cities and in subtropical or temperate climate zones. Of 1014 residents of the eastern or southeastern United States who were screende for neutralizing antibodies to three or four strains of AHC virus (enterovirus type 70), three (0.3%) had titers ranging from 1:10 to 1:40. However, no clinical evidence of prior experience with AHC disease could be ascertained for these persons, so that the antigenic specificity of the detected antibodies is unknown. We conclude that populations of coastal tropical areas of northern South America and all of Central America are vulnerable to AHC epidemics.

Adult