ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To ascertain the genotype of measles viruses isolated in 2012 and genetic characterization of measles viruses in Hongkou district of Shanghai during 2000-2012.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Measles virus was isolated from throat swab specimens collected from suspected measles cases and 450 bp fragment of C terminus on nucleoprotein (N) gene was amplified by RT-PCR. Sequence analysis was conducted to ascertain the genotype and to compare the difference of nucleotide with other measles virus strain announced by GenBank during 2000-2012. Measles virus genotype was analyzed. Epidemiological investigation was conducted.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Phylogenetic analysis showed that 7 measles virus samples were isolated from 34 throat swab specimens with 6 of them belonged to H1 genotype, 1 belonged to D8 genotype of H1 genotype. H1a appeared the main part of Shanghai measles virus. Epidemiological survey showed that D8 was an imported case, also the first case detected since 2000.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The genotype distribution of measles virus in Hongkou was identified the same as elsewhere in Shanghai. D8 was an imported case, detected for the first time since 2000. The results suggested that viral gene sequencing and genotyping should be regularly conducted at the measles laboratories in Shanghai to strengthen the networking monitoring program of the disease.</p>