The use of pyrosequencer-generated sequence-signatures to identify the influenza B-lineage and the subclade of the B/Yamataga-lineage viruses from currently circulating human influenza B viruses

Abstract

Background: Influenza B viruses belong to two antigenically and genetically distinct lineages which co-circulate in varying proportions in many countries. Objective: To develop simple, rapid, accurate and robust methods to detect and differentiate currently circulating B-lineage viruses in respiratory samples and virus isolates. Study design: Haemagglutinin (HA) gene sequences from more than 6300 influenza B strains were analysed to identify signature sequences that could be used to distinguish between B-lineages and sublineages. Results: Pyrosequencing and a real time PCR assays were developed to detect the major B-lineages (B/Victoria/2/87 or B/Yamagata/16/88) and pyrosequencing for a uniq..