%0 Journal Article %A Venter, Marietjie %A Madhi, Shabir A. %A Tiemessen, Caroline T. %A Schoub, Barry D. %T Genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus over four consecutive seasons in South Africa: identification of new subgroup A and B genotypes %D 2001 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 82 %N 9 %P 2117-2124 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-82-9-2117 %I Microbiology Society, %X The molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was studied over four consecutive seasons (1997–2000) in a single tertiary hospital in South Africa: 225 isolates were subgrouped by RT–PCR and the resulting products sequenced. Subgroup A predominated in two seasons, while A and B co-circulated approximately equally in the other seasons. The nucleotide sequences of the C-terminal of the G-protein were compared to sequences representative of previously defined RSV genotypes. South African subgroup A and subgroup B isolates clustered into four and five genotypes respectively. One new subgroup A and three new subgroup B genotypes were identified. Different genotypes co-circulated in every season. Different circulation patterns were identified for group A and B isolates. Subgroup A revealed more variability and displacement of genotypes while subgroup B remained more consistent. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-82-9-2117