ABSTRACTA viral whole-genome sequencing (WGS) strategy, based on PCR amplification followed by next-generation sequencing, was used to investigate a nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus-B (RSV-B) outbreak in a hematology-oncology and stem cell transplant unit. RSV-B genomes from 16 patients and health care workers (HCWs) suspected to be involved in the outbreak were compared to RSV-B genomes that were acquired from outpatients during the same time period but epidemiologically unrelated to the outbreak. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome identified a cluster of 11 patients and HCWs who had an identical RSV-B strain which was clearly distinct from strains recovered from individuals unrelated to the outbreak. Sequence variation of the glycoprotein (G) gene alone was insufficient to distinguish the outbreak strains from the outbreak-unrelated strains, thereby demonstrating that WGS is valuable for local outbreak investigation.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus whole-genome sequencing identifies convergent evolution of sequence duplication in the C-terminus of the G gene
