Genotyping of clinical varicella-zoster virus isolates collected from Yunnan in Southwestern China.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) belongs to the α-herpesvirus family. Genetically, it is stable and is divided into several genotypes based upon the genetic variations. The genotypes of VZV are rarely studied in the Southwestern region of China. In the present study, the common genetic variations in the VZV genes were examined in 42 VZV isolates collected from the patients with herpes zoster in the Yunnan province (Southwestern China). The restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of open reading frames (ORFs) 38, 54 and 62 in the VZV genes showed that all the collected VZV isolates were PstI, BglI and SmaI positive. The R5 variable-repeat region in these isolates was variable (R5A: 46.4%; R5B: 53.6%). The sequencing data of ORFs 1, 21, 22 and 54 indicated that 41 of the 42 collected VZV isolates could be grouped into genotype J or J1. Only one VZV isolate was identified as genotype A1 or M2. No new substitutions in the sequenced fragments were found in the collected VZV isolates. The results of the present study provided a preliminary genetic characterization of the VZV strains in the Yunnan province of Southwestern China.