scholarly journals New variants of SARS-CoV-2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Cantón ◽  
◽  
Pilar De Lucas Ramos ◽  
Alejandra García-Botella ◽  
Alberto García-Lledó ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
South African ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Vaccination Strategies ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
The Individual

The emergence and spread of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 has produced enormous interest due to their possible implication in the improved transmissibility of the virus, their consequences in the individual evolution of the infection, as well as in the possible escape from the immunity generated by the current vaccines. The variants that attract most attention are those of public health concern, including B.1.1.7 (UK), P.1 (Brazilian) and B.1.351 (South African). This list is extended by the variants of interest that emerge and are expanding in certain countries but are found sporadically in others, such as B.1.427 and B.1.429 (Californians) or B.1.617 (Indian). Whole genome sequencing or strategies specifically targeting the spicule gene are used in the microbiology laboratories for characterization and detection. The number of infected individuals, the sanitary situation of each country, epidemiological measures and vaccination strategies influence its dispersion and new variants are expected to emerge. This emergence can only be avoided today by increasing the vaccinated population in all countries and by not relaxing epidemiological containment measures. It is not excluded that in the future it will be necessary to revaccinate against new variants.

scholarly journals Whole-Genome Sequencing of Two Extensively Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from India

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Beenish Rufai ◽  
Sarman Singh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Drug Resistant Tuberculosis ◽  
Resistant Tuberculosis ◽  
Extensively Drug Resistant

The emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) presents a considerable challenge and a public health concern due to the high mortality rate of this disease. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of XDR-TB isolates is thus essential for understanding the mechanism of drug resistance.

scholarly journals Investigation of Two Mycobacterium abscessus Outbreaks in Quebec Using Whole Genome Sequencing

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Michelle Wuzinski ◽  
Hafid Soualhine ◽  
Emilie Valliere ◽  
Pierre-Marie Akochy ◽  
Nancy Cloutier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Mycobacterium Abscessus ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Pediatric Clinic ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes ◽  
Outbreak Investigations ◽  
Distinct Sequence

In recent decades, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections are of emerging public health concern and have contributed towards significant clinical and economic burden globally. One such rapid growing mycobacteria, Mycobacterium abscessus, can cause clonal outbreaks, and these bacteria exhibit a highly resistant antimicrobial susceptibility profile. Here, we present an investigation of two small outbreaks of M. abscessus: first in a pediatric clinic setting and second in a tattoo parlour from Quebec. Two whole genome sequencing approaches were utilized for genotyping: MAB-MLST, a multilocus sequencing typing scheme containing housekeeping, identification, and antimicrobial resistance genes, and SNVPhyl that uses phylogenetics to determine single nucleotide variations between strains. MAB-MLST results showed that the pediatric outbreak strains had two distinct sequence types, demonstrating that one strain did not belong to the outbreak, while all tattoo outbreak isolates belonged to the same sequence type. SNVPhyl results were similar to MAB-MLST results and showed that the pediatric outbreak strains tightly clustered together with 0-1 SNVs between isolates, a sharp contrast between unrelated strains used as controls. Similar results were seen for tattoo outbreak cases with 3-11 SNVs between isolates. NTM infections can be difficult to identify, and outbreak investigations can be complicated. Thus, WGS tools can be used in public health outbreak investigations as they provide high discriminatory power.

scholarly journals Expanding U.S. Laboratory Capacity for Neisseria gonorrhoeae Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Whole-Genome Sequencing through the CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen N. Kersh ◽  
Cau D. Pham ◽  
John R. Papp ◽  
Robert Myers ◽  
Richard Steece ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Susceptibility Testing ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Laboratory Capacity

ABSTRACT U.S. gonorrhea rates are rising, and antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (AR-Ng) is an urgent public health threat. Since implementation of nucleic acid amplification tests for N. gonorrhoeae identification, the capacity for culturing N. gonorrhoeae in the United States has declined, along with the ability to perform culture-based antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Yet AST is critical for detecting and monitoring AR-Ng. In 2016, the CDC established the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (AR Lab Network) to shore up the national capacity for detecting several resistance threats including N. gonorrhoeae. AR-Ng testing, a subactivity of the CDC’s AR Lab Network, is performed in a tiered network of approximately 35 local laboratories, four regional laboratories (state public health laboratories in Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington), and the CDC’s national reference laboratory. Local laboratories receive specimens from approximately 60 clinics associated with the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP), enhanced GISP (eGISP), and the program Strengthening the U.S. Response to Resistant Gonorrhea (SURRG). They isolate and ship up to 20,000 isolates to regional laboratories for culture-based agar dilution AST with seven antibiotics and for whole-genome sequencing of up to 5,000 isolates. The CDC further examines concerning isolates and monitors genetic AR markers. During 2017 and 2018, the network tested 8,214 and 8,628 N. gonorrhoeae isolates, respectively, and the CDC received 531 and 646 concerning isolates and 605 and 3,159 sequences, respectively. In summary, the AR Lab Network supported the laboratory capacity for N. gonorrhoeae AST and associated genetic marker detection, expanding preexisting notification and analysis systems for resistance detection. Continued, robust AST and genomic capacity can help inform national public health monitoring and intervention.

scholarly journals Evaluation of whole genome sequencing for the identification and typing of Vibrio cholerae

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Greig ◽  
Ulf Schafer ◽  
Sophie Octavia ◽  
Ebony Hunter ◽  
Marie A. Chattaway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
National Level ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Surveillance Programs ◽  
El Tor ◽  
The Impact

AbstractEpidemiological and microbiological data on Vibrio cholerae isolated between 2004 and 2017 (n=836) and held in the Public Health England culture archive were reviewed. The traditional biochemical species identification and serological typing results were compared with the genome derived species identification and serotype for a sub-set of isolates (n=152). Of the 836 isolates, 750 (89.7%) were from faecal specimens, 206 (24.6%) belonged to serogroup O1 and seven (0.8%) were serogroup O139, and 792 (94.7%) isolates from patients reporting recent travel abroad, most commonly to India (n=209) and Pakistan (n=104). Of the 152 isolates of V. cholerae speciated by kmer identification, 149 (98.1%) were concordant with the traditional biochemical approach. Traditional serotyping results were 100% concordant with the whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis for identification of serogroups O1 and O139 and Classical and El Tor biotypes. ctxA was detected in all isolates of V. cholerae O1 El Tor and O139 belonging to sequence type (ST) 69, and in V. cholerae O1 Classical variants belonging to ST73. A phylogeny of isolates belonging to ST69 from UK travellers clustered geographically, with isolates from India and Pakistan located on separate branches. Moving forward, WGS data from UK travellers will contribute to global surveillance programs, and the monitoring of emerging threats to public health and the global dissemination of pathogenic lineages. At the national level, these WGS data will inform the timely reinforcement of direct public health messaging to travellers and mitigate the impact of imported infections and the associated risks to public health.

scholarly journals Whole genome sequencing based differentiation between re-infection and relapse in Indian patients with tuberculosis recurrence, with and without HIV co-infection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sivakumar Shanmugam ◽  
Nathan L Bachmann ◽  
Elena Martinez ◽  
Ranjeeta Menon ◽  
Gopalan Narendran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Repeat Unit ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
High Contribution ◽  
Tuberculosis Recurrence ◽  
Hiv Negative

AbstractDifferentiation between relapse and reinfection in cases with tuberculosis (TB) recurrence has important implications for public health, especially in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection. Forty-one paired M. tuberculosis isolates collected from 20 HIV-positive and 21 HIV-negative patients, who experienced TB recurrence after previous successful treatment, were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) in addition to spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repeat unit (MIRU) typing. Comparison of M. tuberculosis genomes indicated that 95% of TB recurrences in the HIV-negative cohort were due to relapse, while the majority of TB recurrences (75%) in the HIV-positive cohort was due to re-infection (P=0.0001). Drug resistance conferring mutations were documented in four pairs (9%) of isolates associated with relapse. The high contribution of re-infection to TB among HIV patients warrants further study to explore risk factors for TB exposure in the community.

scholarly journals False COVID-19 cases due to contamination by inactivated virus vaccine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelvin Kai-Wang To ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
David Christopher Lung ◽  
Jonathan Daniel Ip ◽  
Wan-Mui Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Virus Vaccine ◽  
False Positive ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Respiratory Specimens

Abstract A false-positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result can lead to unnecessary public-health measures. We report two individuals whose respiratory specimens were contaminated by inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine strain(CoronaVac), likely at vaccination premises. Incidentally, whole-genome sequencing of CoronaVac showed adaptive deletions on the spike protein, which do not result in observable changes of antigenicity.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Whole-Genome Sequencing for Identification and Typing of Vibrio cholerae

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Greig ◽  
Ulf Schaefer ◽  
Sophie Octavia ◽  
Ebony Hunter ◽  
Marie A. Chattaway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
National Level ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
El Tor ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Epidemiological and microbiological data on Vibrio cholerae strains isolated between April 2004 and March 2018 (n = 836) and held at the Public Health England culture archive were reviewed. The traditional biochemical species identification and serological typing results were compared with the genome-derived species identification and serotype for a subset of isolates (n = 152). Of the 836 isolates, 750 (89.7%) were from a fecal specimen, 206 (24.6%) belonged to serogroup O1, and 7 (0.8%) were serogroup O139; 792 (94.7%) isolates were from patients reporting recent travel abroad, most commonly to India (n = 209) and Pakistan (n = 104). Of the 152 V. cholerae isolates identified by use of kmer, 149 (98.1%) were concordant with those identified using the traditional biochemical approach. Traditional serotyping results were 100% concordant with those of the whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis for the identification of serogroups O1 and O139 and classical and El Tor biotypes. ctxA was detected in all isolates of V. cholerae O1 El Tor and O139 belonging to sequence type 69 (ST69) and in V. cholerae O1 classical variants belonging to ST73. A phylogeny of isolates belonging to ST69 from U.K. travelers clustered geographically, with isolates from India and Pakistan located on separate branches. Moving forward, WGS data from U.K. travelers will contribute to global surveillance programs and the monitoring of emerging threats to public health and the global dissemination of pathogenic lineages. At the national level, these WGS data will inform the timely reinforcement of direct public health messaging to travelers and mitigate the impact of imported infections and the associated risks to public health.

scholarly journals Setup, Validation, and Quality Control of a Centralized Whole-Genome-Sequencing Laboratory: Lessons Learned

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cath Arnold ◽  
Kirstin Edwards ◽  
Meeta Desai ◽  
Steve Platt ◽  
Jonathan Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Control ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Drug Susceptibility ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Whole Genome Analysis

ABSTRACT Routine use of whole-genome analysis for infectious diseases can be used to enlighten various scenarios pertaining to public health, including identification of microbial pathogens, relating individual cases to an outbreak of infectious disease, establishing an association between an outbreak of food poisoning and a specific food vehicle, inferring drug susceptibility, source tracing of contaminants, and study of variations in the genome that affect pathogenicity/virulence. We describe the setup, validation, and ongoing verification of a centralized whole-genome-sequencing (WGS) laboratory to carry out sequencing for these public health functions for the National Infection Services, Public Health England, in the United Kingdom. The performance characteristics and quality control metrics measured during validation and verification of the entire end-to-end process (accuracy, precision, reproducibility, and repeatability) are described and include information regarding the automated pass and release of data to service users without intervention.

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