Replies

Quote: "the quality and quantity of genetic material available were not enough to obtain a readable sequence" I have a hard time believing they pulled their horns in here, there was more than adequate quality and quantity of sample if the wanted it. If they secured these samples they would have to notify the federal Dept of Health, epidemiology and disease control and then all hell would break loose. Our country is being betrayed here. ********************************************* Molecular characterization of enterovirus D68 isolates To characterize enterovirus D68 strains associated with children with acute respiratory diseases, we obtained 15 partial VP1 sequences. Of the remaining samples, six were negative for VP1 amplification and three were positive; however, the quality and quantity of genetic material available were not enough to obtain a readable sequence. Phylogenetic analysis based on 453 nucleotides of VP1 showed that EV‐D68 prevalent in Mexico during 2014 (Figure (Figure2)2) formed a robust cluster with sequences of strains isolated during 2012–2014 in New York, California, Colorado, and Missouri, USA, and also with sequences from Italy. The EV‐D68 formed 3 different clades as previously reported; however, the most recently isolates including the acute‐flaccid‐myelitis‐associated enterovirus D68 belonged to this recent cluster (clade B1). Mexican sequences also belonged to this new clade B1 (Figure (Figure2).2). Evolutionary divergence analyses showed a lowest divergence (0·005–0009) between 2014 Mexican isolates and California, New York, and Missouri sequences, with the exception of MEX3088/14 isolate which showed lowest divergence with Italian isolates (0·011).