Phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic characterisatics of two Tibet EV-C96 strains.

There is genetic variability between EV-C96 strains which suggest that at least few genetic lineages co-exist and there has been some degree of circulation in different geographical regions for some time. Some recombination events must have occurred during EV-C96 evolution as EV-C96 isolates cluster with different EV-C prototype strains in phylogenetic trees in different genomic regions. However, recombination does not seem to have occurred frequently as EV-C96 isolates from different years and locations appear to cluster together in all genomic regions analysed. These findings expand the understanding of the characterization of EV-C96 and are meaningful for the surveillance of the virus.