scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Outbreak in a Dormitory in Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Author(s):  
Georgii A. Bazykin ◽  
Daria M. Danilenko ◽  
Andrey B. Komissarov ◽  
Nikita Yolshin ◽  
Olga V. Shneider ◽  
...  

Abstract The B.1.1.529 Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is rapidly spreading, displacing the globally prevalent Delta variant. Before December 16, 2021, community transmission had already been observed in tens of countries globally. However, in Russia, all reported cases had been sporadic and associated with travel. Here, we report an Omicron outbreak at a students’ dormitory in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Out of the 462 sampled residents of the dormitory, 206 (44.6%) tested PCR positive, and 159 (77.1%) of these infections carried the S:ins214EPE insertion, indicating that they were of the Omicron strain. 104 (65%) of Omicron-positive patients have been vaccinated and/or reported previous covid-19. Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the outbreak is caused by the Omicron variant. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the outbreak has a single origin, and belongs to the S:346K sublineage of Omicron which may be characterized by an increased rate of spread, compared to other Omicron sublineages. The rapid spread of Omicron in a population with preexisting immunity to previous variants underlines its propensity for immune evasion.

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-242
Author(s):  
Ya. M. Krasnov ◽  
Zh. V. Alkhova ◽  
S. V. Generalov ◽  
I. V. Tuchkov ◽  
E. A. Naryshkina ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 905-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
David New ◽  
Alicia G Beukers ◽  
Sarah E Kidd ◽  
Adam J Merritt ◽  
Kerry Weeks ◽  
...  

AbstractWhole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to demonstrate the wide genetic variability within Sporothrix schenckii sensu lato and establish that there are two main species of Sporothrix within Australian clinical isolates—S. schenckii sensu stricto and Sporothrix globosa. We also demonstrated southwest Western Australia contained genetically similar S. schenckii ss strains that are distinct from strains isolated in the eastern and northern states of Australia. Some genetic clustering by region was also noted for northern NSW, Queensland, and Northern Territory. Phylogenetic analysis of WGS data provided greater phylogenetic resolution compared to analysis of the calmodulin gene alone.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tse H. Koh ◽  
Nurdyana Binte Abdul Rahman ◽  
Jeanette W. P. Teo ◽  
My-Van La ◽  
Balamurugan Periaswamy ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 16 isolates of the carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex to determine the flanking regions of bla IMI-type genes. Phylogenetic analysis of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) targets separated the isolates into 4 clusters. The bla IMI-type genes were all found on Xer-dependent integrative mobile elements (IMEX). The IMEX elements of 5 isolates were similar to those described in Canada, while the remainder were novel. Five isolates had IMEX elements lacking a resolvase and recombinase.


2015 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 130-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika Jarošová ◽  
Kristýna Hrazdilová ◽  
Zita Filipejová ◽  
Pavel Schánilec ◽  
Vladimír Celer

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alassane Mbengue ◽  
Pragya Namdev ◽  
Tarkeshwar Kumar ◽  
Kasturi Haldar ◽  
Souvik Bhattacharjee

AbstractPlasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite that causes the deadliest form of human malaria. Although, malaria burdens worldwide have decreased substantially over the last decade (WHO, 2014), genetic variation and adaptation by parasite strains against drugs and vaccines present significant challenges for the elimination of malaria (Ariey et al., 2014; Neafsey et al., 2015). India has formally launched a malaria elimination campaign (NVBDCP, 2016). Therefore, early in-country detection of drug resistance and/or immune evasion will be important for the program. Presently, the majority of surveillance methods in India detect a limited number of known polymorphisms (Campino et al., 2011; Chatterjee et al., 2016; Daniels et al., 2008; Mishra et al., 2015; Neafsey et al., 2012; Neafsey et al., 2008). A recently reported amplicon sequencing method enables targeted re-sequencing of a panel of genes (Rao et al., 2016). However, the capacity to identify new genes of resistance/immune evasion by whole genome sequencing (WGS) through next generation sequencing (NGS) in India, has remained elusive. Here we report the first WGS of P. falciparum strain performed by Eurofins Genomics India Pvt. Ltd at its Bengaluru division within 40 days of sample submission. Our data establish that timely, commercial WGS through NGS in India can be applied to P. falciparum to greatly empower the malaria elimination agenda in India.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1803
Author(s):  
Jitendra Singh ◽  
Anvita Gupta Malhotra ◽  
Debasis Biswas ◽  
Prem Shankar ◽  
Leena Lokhande ◽  
...  

India experienced a tragic second wave after the end of March 2021, which was far more massive than the first wave and was driven by the emergence of the novel delta variant (B.1.617.2) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this study, we explored the local and national landscape of the viral variants in the period immediately preceding the second wave to gain insight into the mechanism of emergence of the delta variant and thus improve our understanding of the causation of the second wave. We randomly selected 20 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples diagnosed in our lab between 3 February and 8 March 2021 and subjected them to whole genome sequencing. Nine of the 20 sequenced genomes were classified as kappa variant (B.1.617.1). The phylogenetic analysis of pan-India SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences also suggested the gradual replacement of the α variant with the kappa variant during this period. This relative consolidation of the kappa variant was significant, since it shared 3 of the 4 signature mutations (L452R, E484Q and P681R) observed in the spike protein of delta variant and thus was likely to be the precursor in its evolution. This study demonstrates the predominance of the kappa variant in the period immediately prior to the second wave and underscores its role as the “bridging variant” between the α and delta variants that drove the first and second waves of COVID-19 in India, respectively.


Author(s):  
G. A. Eroshenko ◽  
N. V. Popov ◽  
Zh. V. Al’khova ◽  
A. N. Balykova ◽  
L. M. Kukleva ◽  
...  

Objective of the study – comparative phylogenetic analysis of Yersinia pestis strains, isolated in Precaspian North-Western steppe focus in 1924–1926, 1972, and 1986–1990 to understand the causes of focal reactivation during different time periods of the XX century.Materials and methods. The work included 30 strains of Yersinia pestis from Precaspian North-Western steppe natural focus and adjacent plague foci. Whole genome sequencing of eight Y. pestis strains from the former was carried out. Also whole-genome sequences of 16 strains from neighboring natural foci were used. Whole-genome sequencing of Y. pestis strains was conducted in Ion PGM system (Life technologies). SNPs search across the core genome was performed using software package Wombac 2.0. Tree diagram Maximum Likelihood, HKU85 model, was constructed to analyze phylogenetic relations.Results and discussion. It is established that in early XX century (1924–1926), strains of phylogenetic branches 2.MED4 and 2.MED1, belonging to medieval biovar, main subspecies, circulated on Ergenin Upland in the Precaspian North-Western steppe natural focus. Later on they became extinct in the territory. It is shown that the strains, isolated on Ergenin Upland in 1972, constituted a common subcluster on the dendrogram with the strains from low-mountain and piedmont plague foci of Caucasus and Transcaucasia, dated the same time period. It was inferred that epizootic manifestations on Ergenin upland in 1972, after a long recess since 1938, were caused by importation of Y. pestis strains from low-mountain natural plague foci of Caucasus and Transcaucasia. It was noted that expansion of Caucasian strains was of short-term character, and plague infected animals have not been found on Ergenin Upland since 1974 (including modern period). It is established that Y. pestis strains isolated in the eastern part of Precaspian North-Western steppe focus between 1986 and 1990, do not have close genetic relation to the strains that circulated on Ergenin Upland in 1924–1926 and 1972. It is determined that each epizootic period (1913–1938 and 1972–1973) in Precaspian North-Western steppe natural focus culminated in the elimination of the circulating Y. pestis strains and rehabilitation of the focal territory. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 203-211
Author(s):  
AJ Tighe ◽  
MD Gallagher ◽  
J Carlsson ◽  
I Matejusova ◽  
F Swords ◽  
...  

Salmon pancreas disease virus, more commonly known as salmonid alphavirus (SAV), is a single-stranded positive sense RNA virus and the causative agent of pancreas disease and sleeping disease in salmonids. In this study, a unique strain of SAV previously isolated from ballan wrasse was subjected to whole genome sequencing using nanopore sequencing. In order to accurately examine the evolutionary history of this strain in comparison to other SAV strains, a partitioned phylogenetic analysis was performed to account for variation in the rate of evolution for both individual genes and codon positions. Partitioning the genome alignments almost doubled the observed branch lengths in the phylogenetic tree when compared to the more common approach of applying one model of substitution across the genome and significantly increased the statistical fit of the best-fitting models of nucleotide substitution. Based on the genomic data, a valid case can be made for the viral strain examined in this study to be considered a new SAV genotype. In addition, this study adds to a growing number of studies in which SAV has been found to infect non-salmonid fish, and as such we have suggested that the viral species name be amended to the more inclusive ‘piscine alphavirus’.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taj Azarian ◽  
Robert L. Cook ◽  
Judith A. Johnson ◽  
Nilmarie Guzman ◽  
Yvette S. McCarter ◽  
...  

BACKGROUNDInfants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at increased risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition. Outbreaks may be difficult to identify due in part to limitations in current molecular genotyping available in clinical practice. Comparison of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may identify epidemiologically distinct isolates among a population sample that appears homogenous when evaluated using conventional typing methods.OBJECTIVETo investigate a putative MRSA outbreak in a NICU utilizing whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to identify recent transmission events.DESIGNClinical and surveillance specimens collected during clinical care and outbreak investigation.PATIENTSA total of 17 neonates hospitalized in a 43-bed level III NICU in northeastern Florida from December 2010 to October 2011 were included in this study.METHODSWe assessed epidemiological data in conjunction with 4 typing methods: antibiograms, PFGE, spa types, and phylogenetic analysis of genome-wide SNPs.RESULTSAmong the 17 type USA300 isolates, 4 different spa types were identified using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Phylogenetic analysis identified 5 infants as belonging to 2 clusters of epidemiologically linked cases and excluded 10 unlinked cases from putative transmission events. The availability of these results during the initial investigation would have improved infection control interventions.CONCLUSIONWhole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis are invaluable tools for epidemic investigation; they identify transmission events and exclude cases mistakenly implicated by traditional typing methods. When routinely applied to surveillance and investigation in the clinical setting, this approach may provide actionable intelligence for measured, appropriate, and effective interventions.Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(7):777–785


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