Construction and characterization of an infectious cDNA clone of enterovirus type 71 subgenotype C4

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease and induces fatal neurological complications. In recent years, this virus has become a major threat to public health in the Asia–Pacific region, while no effective antiviral therapies and vaccines are currently available. In this study, we constructed and characterized for the first time an infectious full-length EV71 cDNA clone derived from the SHZH98 strain, which was the first subgenotype C4 strain isolated in China. Our data demonstrate that the rescued EV71 viruses exhibited growth kinetics in vitro and morphologies similar to those of the BrCr-TR strain and reached a maximum titer of 10 7.5 TCID 50 /ml. Although the rescued viruses were able to infect suckling mice, no typical symptoms of EV71 infection were observed for up to 18 days post-inoculation. Taken together our research provides an important tool to study the epidemic strains of EV71 in the Asia–Pacific region and promote the development of vaccines.