Identification of distinct genotypes in circulating RSV A strains based on variants on the virus replication-associated genes

Respiratory syncytial virus is a common cause of respiratory infection that often leads to hospitalization of infected younger children and older adults. RSV is classified into two strains, A and B, each with several subgroups or genotypes. One issue with the definition of these subgroups is the lack of a unified method of identification or genotyping. We propose that genotyping strategies based on the genes coding for replication-associated proteins could provide critical information on the replication capacity of the distinct subgroup, while clearly distinguishing genotypes. Here, we analyzed the virus replication-associated genes N, P, M2, and L from