Clinical Characteristics of Different Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein N Genotypes among Child Patients in China

Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical characteristics and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoprotein N (gN) genotypes in children.

Methods HCMV gN gene polymorphisms in 544 patients were analyzed using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results The highest proportion was observed for the gN3a genotype (126/544, 23.2%). The proportion of children with mixed infections presenting with the hepatitis phenotype (65/69, 94.2%) was significantly higher than that of each gN genotype, except for gN3b (34/43, 79.1%, all p < 0.0083). Patients infected with 4b genotype (56/56, 100%) had a significantly higher proportion of anemia symptoms than those infected with all other gN genotypes (all p < 0.0083). There were also significant differences in the proportion of patients infected with different gN genotypes who presented with clinical features, such as jaundice, pneumonia, and thrombocytopenic purpura. Patients with the gN2 genotype had significantly higher albumin levels than those with the gN3a genotype (p = 0.042).

Conclusion The clinical phenotypes and laboratory indicators of HCMV infection in children with different gN genotypes are somewhat different, suggesting that precise typing of gN genes has clinical value.