Genome sequencing of human enterovirus 71 from Southeast Asia. Enterovirus A71

Human enterovirus 71 (EV71) has emerged in several countries in Southeast Asia, most recently Cambodia, as a cause of large outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children, and has been associated with severe cases of HFMD and deaths. The complete genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of EV71 in southeast Asia have not been well characterized due to a marked lack of whole-genome sequence data. As part of this project, we propose to sequence whole genomes of hundreds of EV71 viruses collected during 2011-2012 from 4 major cities in Southeast Asia, which will help to describe the spatiotemporal divergence and epidemiological dynamics of EV71 in Southeast Asia.