Enterovirus-D68 genomic sequencing of 2014 US outbreak strains to understand its evolutionary dynamics and increased disease severity

This study is a rapid response project as part of the JCVI Genomic Center for Infectious Disease (GCID), NIAID. Previously one of the most rarely reported serotypes of enterovirus, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been causing clusters of respiratory illness in North America, which have been confirmed EV-D68 as the etiological agent since August of 2014. EV-D68 infection has been associated with severe respiratory illness, including some admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and multiple pediatric deaths in the US. It has also been associated with flaccid paralysis in some of the patients. As part of this project, we plan to sequence EV-D68 virus to understand evolutionary dynamics and signatures of increased pathogenicity in US children.