EXTENT OF SEQUENCE VARIABILITY IN A GENOMIC REGION CODING FOR CAPSID PROTEINS OF B19 PARVOVIRUS

Genomic variability in human parvovirus B19 was analysed by direct par tial sequencing of different isolates collected in Italy between 1989 and 1994. DNA was purified from viremic serum samples and the region o f viral genome coding for structural proteins was amplified by polymer ase chain reaction and partially sequenced (nt. 2400-3400). Data were compared to reference isolates Wi (U.K., 1973) and Au (U.S.A., 1982). The average relative distance between isolates was estimated at the lo w level of 0.61%, comparable with the distance to reference isolates. Out of 22 nucleotide substitutions found, 9 resulted in amino acid cha nges. From our results, this region of human parvovirus B19 genome app ears to be stably conserved.