In November 2023, five newborns with fever and suspected human parechovirus (PEV-A) infection were studied, and PEV-A positivity was confirmed through advanced testing methods.
Metagenomic sequencing and amplicon-based whole genome sequencing revealed that the infections were caused by PEV-A genotype 3 (PEV-A3), with all analyzed samples showing identical consensus sequences.
The study indicated the presence of at least two viral quasispecies and suggested that the cluster of cases was microbiologically related, contributing valuable data for understanding PEV-A3's evolution and pathogenicity.