Abstract

Human enterovirus71 (HEV71) is responsible for hand, foot and mouth diseases (HFMD). Several outbreaks of HFMD were associated with severe neurological disease and deaths. In Malaysia, outbreaks normally occur periodically every two to three years but HEV71 were isolated throughout the year from HFMD cases. From 2010 to 2012, HEV71 strains were isolated from 37 children presented with typical HFMD. All isolates were sequenced and BLAST searched. A phylogenetic tree constructed based on the complete VP1 gene showed that all isolates belonged to subgenogroup B5. This subgenogroup has been found dominant since 2003.

Key words: Human enterovirus71, molecular epidemiology, gene sequences, circulating subgenogroup.