Epidemiological implications of the molecular characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus isolated between 1996 and 2000 in Bangladesh

Foot-and-mouth disease virus was collected during two years throughout Bang ladesh. Viral RNA from 40 samples was subjected to reverse transcription-de pendent polymerase chain reactions that amplify parts of the capsid protein encoding genome region, and the products obtained were sequenced. This sho wed that all virus isolates up to January 1999 belonged to a genotype of se rotype O, observed here already in 1987, 1996 and 1997, and elsewhere since 1990. In February 2001, this virus variant was introduced into Great Brita in and then transmitted to other European countries. The capsid protein seq uences of an isolate of 2001 from the Netherlands is provided. Later isolat es from Bangladesh, however, belonged to a genotype of serotype A that had been transmitted to Albania in 1996. No virus of type Asia1 was found, alth ough it circulated in Bangladesh in 1996. Instead, this genotype of Asia1 v irus was observed in Iran late in 1999, and transmitted from Turkey to Gree ce in July 2000. The results indicate continued intercontinental transmissi on of foot-and-mouth disease viruses that circulate in central Asia.