手足口病例中埃克病毒11型河南株分子流行病学研究

目的分析埃克病毒11型（ Echo11）河南分离株的分子流行病学特征。方法对2010-2012年河南手足口病监测系统中采集的粪便标本,采用RD、Hep2细胞进行病毒分离,对阳性分离物进行VP1区扩增、测序,生物学软件分析测序结果,BLAST比对后确定病毒基因型;扩增10株Echo11河南分离株VP1完整编码区序列,与国内外其他Echo11病毒株进行同源性分析并构建VP1区全基因亲缘进化树,分析其进化来源及不同基因型的流行范围。结果2010-2012年河南手足口病标本共分离出184株非EV71/CA16型肠道病毒,其中Echo1110株,占5．43％。 Echo11河南株VP1区全长共876个核苷酸,编码292个氨基酸;10株Echo11河南株VP1区之间核苷酸同源性为93．1％～100％,氨基酸同源性为97．3％～100％;与原型Gregory株之间核苷酸同源性为77．8％～78．8％,氨基酸同源性为90．8％～91．8％。结论 Echo11也是引起河南省手足口病的主要病原体,河南省存在Echo11病毒A基因型的流行。     

诺如病毒深圳株SZ2010422全基因组序列测定及分析

目的 分析GⅡ-4型诺如病毒深圳分离株SZ2010422全基因组序列,了解其分子结构特点及进化特性.方法 根据New Orleans参考株全序列设计引物,用RT-PCR分段扩增诺如病毒全基因组,经分子克隆、测序后进行系统进化分析及衣壳区氨基酸位点分析.结果 GⅡ-4型诺如病毒深圳SZ2010422株病毒基因组全长7559 bp,病毒基因组分三个开放阅读框(ORFs),ORF1、ORF2及ORF3长度分别为5100 bp、1623 bp和807 bp,ORF1与ORF2之间有19个核苷酸重叠.深圳株SZ2010422基因组核苷酸序列与参考株GⅡ-4型New Orleans变异株同源性最高,全长同源性为99.3％,ORFI、ORF2、ORF3同源性分别为99.5％、99.2％和98.6％.根据系统进化分析,深圳SZ2010422株属于GⅡ-4 New Orleans变异株.通过对衣壳区氨基酸比对,New Orleans变异株位点变化情况为:aa310N或K→S,aa341D→N,aa359T→S,aa396H→P,aa460H→Y.结论 诺如病毒深圳株SZ2010422属于GⅡ-4型New Orleans变异株.     

广州地区人巨细胞病毒临床低传代株UL136基因的序列特征及多态性

目的 研究广州地区新生儿感染人巨细胞病毒(HCMV)临床低传代株UL136基因的序列特征与基因多态性.方法 从10例广州感染新生儿体内分离获得2株(D2、D3)临床HCMV分离株,经多重PCR鉴定后进行UL136基因全序列扩增.PCR产物纯化后进行基因克隆,构建HCMV UL136-pMD18-T重组质粒.经基因测序及应用生物信息学分析方法 ,分析其核酸序列稳定性、编码蛋白质的二级结构与特征.结果 成功分离2株HCMV临床分离株,测序结果 显示,D2、D3及与GenBank中公布的11株临床分离株(4J、51C、39J、33J、63J、22M、10J、32C、29C、27C、Toledo)中,UL136序列高度保守.同源性分析显示在UL136全基因序列1019个核苷酸中,存在30个位点变异,所有的变异均为碱基替换,无插入及缺失突变.编码蛋白的氨基酸序列也高度保守,240个氨基酸残基中,不同临床分离株氨基酸变异率为1.6%～3.7%.不同分离株的UL136蛋白中参与形成二级结构的氨基酸数目及等电点不同.进化树分析结果 显示D2和D3均属于1a群.结论 广州地区临床低传代分离株HCMV UL136基因核苷酸序列及其氨基酸序列极为保守,但仍存在一定多态性.其基因的稳定性提示HCMV UL136开放阅读框(ORF)可能是一个具有重要功能的基因.其编码后修饰位点提示UL136可能与膜受体介导的细胞信号转导通路有关.     

7株B亚属人腺病毒纤维基因特征分析

目的 了解本实验室2004-2006年分离的7株B亚属腺病毒(adenovirus,Ad)的纤维基因特征,并与日本、韩国腺病毒分离株的纤维基因进行比较.方法 2004-2006年间,本实验室从上呼吸道感染儿童散发或暴发病例中分离到7株腺病毒毒株,首先对六邻体蛋白基因扩增和序列分析进行基因分型,随后用PCR扩增纤维蛋白基因,进行序列测定,构建亲缘性关系进化树,并对其基因特征进行分析.结果 7株腺病毒分离株均属于B亚属,其中有3株为Ad3型,所测定的纤维蛋白基因的核苷酸同源性为98.9%～100%,与2003年中国广州分离株DQ099432和2003年韩国分离株AY224416的同源性为100%;3株为Ad7型,纤维蛋白基因核苷酸同源性为97.6%～100%,与2006年日本分离株AB243119的同源性为97.4%,与2000年韩国分离株AY921620的同源性为100%;1株为Ad11型,与GenBank序列号为L08232的1993年瑞典分离株纤维蛋白基因同源性为100%.结论 2004-2006年,北京地区上呼吸道感染散发病例,Ad3和Ad7纤维基因核苷酸变异不大,同时证实本研究用纤维基因片段,与六邻体基因分型具有相同的结果.     

流行性乙型脑炎病毒脑脊液分离株"47株"全基因组特征分析

目的 对1950年分离自我国黑龙江省患者脑脊液的乙脑病毒"47株"进行全基因组序列的测定和分析,全面了解其全基因组特征.方法 复苏毒种提取病毒RNA,使用自行设计的乙脑病毒全基因组扩增测序引物,完成对病毒全基因组序列的测定.采用DNAStar、Modeltest、Phylip等生物软件完成全基因组核苷酸、氨基酸序列差异分析和乙脑病毒全基因组的系统进化分析.结果 乙脑病毒"47株"全长10 977个核苷酸.96至10 391位为开放读码框ORF,共10 296个核苷酸,编码3432个氨基酸."47株"与5株疫苗株在全基因组水平的核苷酸差异在2.4%～4.4%之间,氨基酸差异在0.3%～1.1%之间.乙脑病毒全基因组最适进化模型为GTR+I+G.全基因组进化分析显示"47株"属于基因Ⅲ型乙脑病毒.结论 "47株"全基因组核苷酸和氨基酸高度保守,属于基因Ⅲ型乙脑病毒.     

呼吸道合胞病毒分离株N蛋白编码基因特征分析

目的 阐明人呼吸道合胞病毒(human respiratory syncytial virus,HRSV)A和B亚型病毒分离株的核蛋白(nucleoprotein,N)编码基因特征.方法 采用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(revelrse transciptionpolymerase chain reaction,RT-PCR)对北京2004年分离的HRSV代表株(2株A亚型和2株B亚型)进行N基因全长序列扩增、测序,并和GenBank下载的所有HRSV病毒的N基因全长序列进行对比和分析.结果 2株HRSV A亚型分离株与A亚型Long株(标准株)的N蛋白的核苷酸和氨基酸差异分别为36～40个(3.1%～3.4%)和4个(1.0%);2株HRSV B亚型分离株与B亚型CH18537株(标准株)的N蛋白之间的核苷酸和氨基酸差异分别为17(1.4%)和1(0.3%)个.4株HRSV代表株和从GenBank下载的HRSV的N蛋白之间的核苷酸和氨基酸差异分别为3～172个(0.25%～14.63%)和0-18个(0～4.6%).结论 N基因在HRSV基因组中是较为保守的基因,A或B亚型的型内差异相对较小;但A和B亚型之间N基因序列有较大变异,变异平均分配于整个N基因中;本研究为HRSV基因快速诊断试剂的研制提供了基因信息学数据.     

风疹病毒松叶株E1基因遗传变异研究

目的 研究风疹病毒(rubella vires,RV)疫苗松叶株(Matsuba)El基因遗传与变异特点,在基因水平评估Matsuba株生产的疫苗对流行株的保护效果. 方法 将风疹病毒松叶株毒种RV14在原代兔肾细胞连续传至第23代,取RV14、RV16、RV17、RV18、RV23代进行研究分析.利用RT-PCR方法扩增松叶株不同代次的E1蛋白基因,将E1基因与pGEM-T载体连接,获得风疹病毒E1基因的克隆并测序,对各代次病毒的E1基因与风疹病毒疫苗Matanba株(GenBank登录号:D50673)及其他参考株的E1基因序列进行比对分析. 结果 风疹病毒Matsuba株传至23代时仍有很高的同源性,RV14、RV16、RV18代次病毒与D50673的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性为100.O%,RVl7、RV23代次病毒与D50673的核苷酸序列同源性分别为99.9%、99.7%,氨基酸序列同源性分别为99.8%、99.2%.各代次病毒与糖基化、抗原性相关的氨基酸位点未发生变异,高度保守;风疹病毒Matsuba株与其他参考株E1基因序列比较结果表明:Matsuba株为1a基因型,中国风疹病毒流行基因型为1E、1F、2A和2B,以1E基因型为主;Matsuba株与各基因型参考株同源性很高,核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为92.1%～99.6%和98.1%～99.8%. 结论 风疹病毒Matsuba疫苗株的遗传学特性稳定,从分子水平证明Matsuba疫苗株及其生产的疫苗具有安全性.尽管中国流行不同基因型风疹病毒,由于Matsuba株与各基因型参考株同源性很高,且风疹病毒毒株间抗原表位高度保守,因此Matsuba疫苗株所生产的疫苗可以有效保护不同基因型别的风疹病毒的感染.     

重庆流行性乙型脑炎病毒分离株CQ11-66在PrM/C及E基因区的分子特征

目的 分析重庆地区儿童流行性乙型脑炎(简称乙脑)病毒分离株CQ11-66在PrM/C及E基因区的分子特征.方法 采集重庆医科大学附属儿童医院感染消化科诊断的流行性乙脑患者血液及脑脊液标本,通过接种BHK-21细胞检测并分离乙脑病毒,并对其PrM/C及E基因区测序.使用Clustal X(1.8)、MEGA5等生物学软件进行核苷酸序列、氨基酸序列及系统进化分析.结果 本研究仅从儿童乙脑患者脑脊液标本中分离到1株乙脑病毒,命名为CQ11-66.CQ11-66和其他国家及地区的乙脑病毒分离株相比,PrM/C基因区总体核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性分别为74.8％～97.4％及85.6％～98.7％,而E基因区总体核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性分别为81.6％ ～ 99.6％及94.8％ ～99.6％;CQ11-66株与福建省乙脑病毒人分离株相比较,在PrM/C、E基因核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性均很高.基于PrM/C及E基因区核苷酸序列进行系统进化分析,CQ11-66株属于基因Ⅲ型.结论 在重庆市儿童乙脑患者标本中分离到1株乙脑病毒CQ11-66,CQ11-66株在PrM/C和F基因区核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列同其他乙脑病毒分离株存在一定的差异,且系统进化分析显示CQ11-66株属于乙脑病毒基因Ⅲ型.     

我国首次分离到基因Ⅰ型乙型脑炎病毒

目的　对新分离乙型脑炎病毒鉴定 ,了解病毒E基因区段的氨基酸序列特征及基因分型。方法　 2 0 0 1年在上海市采集蚊虫标本 ,用组织培养的方法分离到 7株病毒。进行病毒一般生物学鉴定 ,对病毒PrM和E基因区段约 2 0 0 0nt进行了扩增、克隆、测序。应用ClustalX软件做碱基配对和比较分析 ,种系发生采用PHYLIP软件包分析。结果　 7株病毒可以引起BHK 2 1细胞规律病变 ,病变时间为 6 0h。乳鼠脑内接种病毒后 72h死亡。所有新分离病毒与标准乙型脑炎病毒抗体阳性反应。用病毒PrM区段 (4 5 6～ 6 95位核苷酸 )进行的基因分型分析 ,新分离的 7株病毒属于基因Ⅰ型乙型脑炎病毒。以减毒活疫苗株SA14 14 2为标准 ,对 7株病毒的E基因区段进行分析 ,7株病毒之间核苷酸同源性在 97.7%以上 ,氨基酸同源性在 99.2 %以上 ;7株病毒与疫苗株SA14 14 2核苷酸差异在 12 .2 %左右 ,氨基酸差异在 2 .8%～ 3.2 %之间 ,共有 14个共同的氨基酸位点差异。结论　 2 0 0 1年在上海采集的蚊虫中新分离的 7株病毒属于基因Ⅰ型乙型脑炎病毒 ,为我国的首次报道     

人巨细胞病毒UL138～142基因在临床低传代分离株中的多态性研究

目的　研究人巨细胞病毒 (humancytomegalovirus ,HCMV)UL138～UL14 2基因在临床低传代分离株中的多态性及其与HCMV先天感染致病性之间的关系。方法　对经荧光定量PCR方法检测HCMV DNA为阳性的临床分离株进行UL138～UL14 2基因全序列PCR扩增 ,对扩增阳性的标本进行全序列的测序及结果分析。结果　HCMV临床分离株的UL138、UL14 2ORF(openreadingframe)高度保守 ;UL139ORF呈现高度多态性 ,可被明确划分为 3个基因型 ,且核苷酸及氨基酸的变异主要集中在序列的 5′端 ;所有临床分离株的UL14 0ORF在Toledo株第 174位核苷酸处插入 1个胞嘧啶核苷酸 ,其ORF较Toledo株增加了 2 31个核苷酸 ;所有临床分离株的UL14 1ORF在Toledo株第 2 2 7位核苷酸处缺失了 1个胸腺嘧啶核苷酸 ,故形成UL14 1a及UL14 1b 2个新的ORF。HCMV临床分离株的UL14 0蛋白较Toledo株新增了ScAMP磷酸化和酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点 ,其它基因编码蛋白的重要功能区域相对保守。结论　HCMV临床分离株UL139ORF的 5′端呈现高度多态性 ,而且被明确地分成 3个基因型 ,故其可能在HCMV先天感染的致病性差异方面起一定作用 ;尚未发现UL138～UL14 2中某个特定基因与HCMV先天感染致病性有本质联系     

Molecular epidemiology of PRRSV from China’s Guangxi Province between 2007 and 2009

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is considered to be one of the most important infectious diseases affecting livestock. This study used gene sequence analysis of ORF5 and Nsp2 to determine the molecular epidemiology of PRRSV in different parts of the Guangxi province of China. These genes were selected due to their extensive variation within the genome. Out of 189 samples from animals suspected to have PRRS, 145 were PRRSV RNA positive. ORF5 and Nsp2 gene sequence analysis of 31 of these samples showed that all of the Guangxi isolates were of type 2. A phylogenetic tree analysis based on ORF5 showed that the Guangxi isolates were divided into two groups. Most of these were closely related to highly pathogenic strains, showing a 30 amino acid deletion at positions 481 and 533–561 of Nsp2, but an additional unique isolate (GXNN06) possessed a further four amino acid deletion at positions 485–488 of Nsp2.     

Genetic variation and pathogenicity of highly virulent porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus emerging in China

A highly pathogenic swine disease designated as ‘porcine high fever disease (PHFD)’ appeared recently in China. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was identified as an agent associated with PHFD, and two discontiguous sequence deletions were identified as a genetic marker in the Nsp2 region of the viral genome. To examine PHFD in Shandong province, a total of 10 PRRSV isolates were recovered from pig herds that had never been vaccinated for PRRS. Sequence analysis of open reading frame 5 (ORF5) showed that the level of identity among the 10 isolates ranged between 88.2 and 99.2%. For the non-structural protein 2 (Nsp2) gene, three isolates shared high sequence identity with VR-2332, the prototype virus of the North American genotype, while the remaining seven isolates exhibited two discontiguous sequence deletions that were identical to those of PHFD: a one-amino-acid (phenylalanine) deletion at position 482 and a 29-amino-acid deletion at positions 533–561 of Nsp2. Experimental infection of pigs with SD-JN, which was one of the seven isolates containing such deletions, resulted in severe clinical symptoms characterized by red discoloration on the body and hemorrhages in the lungs, kidneys, and inguinal lymph nodes, accompanied by higher mortality and longer duration of viremia. These symptoms were similar to those of PHFD observed in the field. Our results show that VR2332-like PRRSV coexists with PHFD-associated atypical PRRSV in pig herds in the Shandong area, and different PRRSV isolates differ greatly in their pathogenesis and virulence in pigs.     

Recombination analyses between two strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in vivo

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is characteristic of genetically extensive variation. In this study, five SPF pigs were co-infected with two strains of PRRSV (JXwn06-81c and HB-1/3.9c), and 352 viruses were cloned by plaque assay from the sera of the infected pigs on days 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21 postinfection (pi), and the recombinant events between the two viruses were systematically investigated by sequencing the ORF5, ORF3 and Nsp2 genes of each cloned virus and using SimPlot and Genetic Algorithm for Recombination Detection (GARD) analysis. Totally, 133 recombinant viruses out of the plaque viruses were acquired from four of five infected pigs during days 7-21pi upon co-infection with JXwn06-81c and HB-1/3.9c. The intragenic recombination and intergenic fragment exchange of the ORF5, ORF3 and Nsp2 genes between the two viruses exhibited different patterns, and the recombination for ORF5 gene and Nsp2 occurred as early as on day 7pi. The recombination between the ORF5, ORF3 or Nsp2 gene resulted in the generation of chimeric GP5, GP3 or Nsp2. Of the three genes, Nsp2 gene exhibited more complicated recombination situation. Meanwhile, the putative recombination breakpoints and hotspots for the three genes were analyzed. Our findings not only provide valuable evidences for understanding that recombination is an important genetic mechanism contributing to the variation and evolution of PRRSV, but also suggest that extensive use of attenuated vaccine of PRRSV undoubtedly contributes to the increased diversity of PRRSV in field.     

Genetic diversity and evolutionary characterization of Chinese porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses based on NSP2 and ORF5

To more fully understand the extent of genetic diversity of PRRSV in China, we analyzed the Nsp2 and ORF5 gene sequences of 35 representative PRRSV isolates from 2008 to 2012. Sequence analysis revealed that the Nsp2 and ORF5 genes have undergone genetic variation. Furthermore, the isolate FJLYDX04 contains five insertions at positions 599 to 603 and is the first isolate from China reported to have an insertion in Nsp2. Our results suggest that the highly pathogenic PRRSV has become the dominant strain in China and that Chinese PRRSV has undergone rapid evolution and can circumvent immune responses induced by currently used vaccines.     

Heterogeneity in Nsp2 of European-like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses isolated in the United States

Recently, isolates of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) that possess nucleotide sequences similar to European isolates have been reported in United States herds. The origin, diversity and prevalence of European-like North American PRRSV isolates in the U.S. remain unknown. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 12 kb ORF1 of a North American isolate, SDPRRS 01-08 (01-08), showed 93.7% identity with Lelystad virus (LV), the prototypic European isolate, but only 58% identity with VR-2332, the prototypic North American isolate. Comparisons between LV and 01-08 at the peptide sequence level of the predicted non-structural proteins (Nsp) showed that Nsp9 (98.9% amino acid identity) was the most conserved and the least conserved was Nsp2 at 90.6% identity. For the purpose of comparison, GP5, the principal envelope structural protein, showed a 93.5% identity between 01-08 and LV. The most dramatic differences between the Nsp2 proteins of LV and 01-08 were a single 17 amino acid deletion between residues 734 and 750, as well as several amino acid differences. The same deletion was identified in the Nsp2 in five of seven other EuroPRRSV isolates submitted to the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory. The remaining two isolates contained small deletions, but in other regions of Nsp2. Peptide sequence diversity in the form of hypervariability and deletions in Nsp2 demonstrate that European-like PRRSV isolates in the USA represent a heterogeneous group. Furthermore, areas in Nsp2 with deletions and amino acid hypervariability localize to regions that are predicted to be immunologically important.     

Concurrent porcine circovirus type 2a (PCV2a) or PCV2b infection increases the rate of amino acid mutations of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) during serial passages in pigs

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has a high degree of genetic and antigenic variability. The purpose of this study was to determine if porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection increases genetic variability of PRRSV during serial passages in pigs and to determine if there is a difference in the PRRSV mutation rate between pigs concurrently infected with PCV2a or PCV2b. After 8 consecutive passages of PRRSV alone (group 1), PRRSV with PCV2a (group 2), or PCV2b (group 3) in pigs, the sequences of PRRSV structural genes for open reading frame (ORF) 5, ORF6, ORF7 and the partial non-structural protein gene (Nsp) 2 were determined. The total number of identified amino acid mutations in ORF5, ORF6, ORF7 and Nsp2 sequences was 30 for PRRSV infection only, 63 for PRRSV/PCV2a concurrent infection, and 77 for PRRSV/PCV2b concurrent infection when compared with the original VR2385 virus used to infect the passage 1 pigs. Compared to what occurred in pigs infected with PRRSV only, the mutation rates in ORF5 and ORF6 were significantly higher for concurrent PRRSV/PCV2b infected pigs. The PRRSV/PCV2a pigs had a significantly higher mutation rate in ORF7. The results from this study indicated that, besides ORF5 and Nsp2, the PRRSV structural genes ORF6 and ORF7 were shown to mutate at various degrees when the PRRSV was passaged over time in vivo. Furthermore, a significantly higher mutation rate of PRRSV was observed when pigs were co-infected with PCV2 highlighting the importance of concurrent infections on PRRSV evolution and control.     

Genetic analysis of two porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses with different virulence isolated in China

The S1 and SY0608 strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were individually isolated and had different pathogenicity in pigs in 1997 and 2006. In order to understand their genomic characteristics, the full-length genome of S1 and SY0608 isolates were sequenced and analyzed. The results indicated that their genome composition differed significantly and shared only 88.5% nucleotide identity with each other. The genetic variation and amino acid substitutions were not randomly distributed in the genome, and mainly focused on ORF1a, ORF3 and ORF5. The SY0608 strain, with high pathogenicity, had a 30-amino-acid deletion at amino acid positions 480 and 532-560 in comparison with the S1 strain. The alignment of amino acid sequence of Nsp1-Nsp8, GP2-GP5, M and N of S1 and SY0608 with other PRRSV isolates demonstrated that variation was mainly found in the Nsp2, GP3 and GP5 proteins. In comparison with the S1 strain, the SY0608 strain showed some potential glycosylation site mutations in GP5 at amino acid positions between 26 and 39, which might be associated with viral antigenicity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the two strains belonged to two different branches that do not indicate differences in pathogenicity. Interestingly, the deletion strains isolated recently in China formed a new minor branch, revealing the same evolutionary trend.     

Mutations in the genome of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus responsible for the attenuation phenotype

Summary.  Although live-attenuated vaccines have been used for some time to control clinical symptoms of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), the molecular bases for the attenuated phenotype remain unclear. We had previously determined the genomic sequence of the pathogenic PRRSV 16244B. Limited comparisons of the structural protein coding sequence of an attenuated vaccine strain have shown 98% homology to the pathogenic 16244B. Here we have confirmed the attenuated phenotype and determined the genomic sequence of that attenuated PRRSV vaccine and compared it to its parental VR-2332 and the 16244B strains. The attenuated vaccine sequence was colinear with that of the strain 16244B sequence containing no gaps and 212 substitutions over 15,374 determined nucleotide sequence. We identified nine amino acid changes distributed in Nsp1β, Nsp2, Nsp10, ORF2, ORF3, ORF5 and ORF6. These changes may provide the molecular bases for the observed attenuated phenotype. Received August 28, 1999 Accepted December 16, 1999     

Epidemiology and evolutionary characteristics of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in China between 2006 and 2010

In 2006, an emerging highly pathogenic strain of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), which causes continuous high fever and a high proportion of deaths in vaccinated pigs of all ages, broke out in mainland China and spread rapidly to neighboring countries. To examine the epidemiology and evolutionary characteristics of Chinese PRRSV after the 2006 outbreak, we tested 2,981 clinical samples collected from 2006 to 2010 in China, determined 153 Nsp2 sequences and 249 ORF5 sequences, and analyzed the epidemiology and genetic diversity of Chinese PRRSV. Our results showed that the percentage of PRRSV-positive specimens collected from sick pigs averaged 60.85% in the past 5 years and that the highly pathogenic PRRSV has become the dominant strain in China. Furthermore, a reemerging strain which apparently evolved from the highly pathogenic PRRSV strain in 2006 appeared to be widely prevalent in China from 2009 onwards. Sequence analyses revealed that the hypervariable region of Nsp2 in most of the isolates contained a discontinuous deletion equivalent to 30 amino acids, along with other types of deletions. Extensive amino acid substitutions in the GP5 sequence translated from ORF5 were found, particularly in the potential neutralization epitope and the N-glycosylation sites. Our results suggest that Chinese PRRSV has undergone rapid evolution and can circumvent immune responses induced by currently used vaccines. Information from this study will help in understanding the evolutionary characteristics of Chinese PRRSV and assist ongoing efforts to develop and use PRRSV vaccines in the future.