Detection and Characterization of Enterovirus B73 from a Child in Brazil.

Enterovirus B73 is a new member of the species. First detected in the USA, it has been subsequently identified in China, India, Oman, and the Netherlands. In this study, we characterize the first B73 strain (named TO-127) to be detected in South America. TO-127 was obtained from a child with acute gastroenteritis living in a rural area in Northern Brazil. The subject was not infected with any known enteric pathogens such as norovirus, rotavirus, helminths, or enteric bacteria. Analysis of the nearly full-length TO-127 genome (6993 nt) indicated a 74⁻75% nucleotide similarity with EV-B73 strains from other countries. Evolutionary analysis suggests that B73 is endemic and widespread.