Evolutionary Studies on the #Coxsackievirus A24 #Variants Causing Acute #Hemorrhagic #Conjunctivitis with Emphasis on the Recent #Outbreak of 2023 in #India
Abstract Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis (AHC) is primarily caused by viral infections, with Coxsackievirus A-24v (CV-A24v) being a significant culprit. Enteroviruses , including CV-A24v, are responsible for global AHC outbreaks . Over time, CV-A24v has evolved, and genotype IV (GIV) has become the dominant strain. This study focused on examining the genetic features and evolutionary trends of CV-A24v responsible for the recent AHC outbreak of 2023 in India . Researchers isolated viral strains from ocular swabs and confirmed the presence of CV-A24v using reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and whole-genome sequencing . Genomic comparisons between isolates of 2023 and those from a previous outbreak in 2009 were conducted. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the 2023 isolates formed a distinct cluster within GIV-5 and were related to recent strains from China and Pakistan . The older Indian isolates from 2009 grouped with GIV-3. New subclades, GIV-6 and GIV-7, were also ide...