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Denayer S, Dufrasne FE, Monsieurs B, van Eycken R, Houben S, Seyler L, Demuyser T, van Nedervelde E, Bourgeois M, Delaere B, Magerman K, Jouck D, Lissoir B, Sion C, Reynders M, Petit E, Dauby N, Hainaut M, Laenen L, Maes P, Baele G, Dellicour S, Cuypers L, André E, Couvreur S, Brondeel R, Barbezange C, Bossuyt N, van Gucht S. Genomic monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants using sentinel SARI hospital surveillance. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2023; 17:e13202. [PMID: 37840842 PMCID: PMC10570899 DOI: 10.1111/irv.13202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background To support the COVID-19 pandemic response, many countries, including Belgium, implemented baseline genomic surveillance (BGS) programs aiming to early detect and characterize new SARS-CoV-2 variants. In parallel, Belgium maintained a sentinel network of six hospitals that samples patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and integrated SARS-CoV-2 detection within a broader range of respiratory pathogens. We evaluate the ability of the SARI surveillance to monitor general trends and early signals of viral genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and compare it with the BGS as a reference model. Methods Nine-hundred twenty-five SARS-CoV-2 positive samples from patients fulfilling the Belgian SARI definition between January 2020 and December 2022 were sequenced using the ARTIC Network amplicon tiling approach on a MinION platform. Weekly variant of concern (VOC) proportions and types were compared to those that were circulating between 2021 and 2022, using 96,251 sequences of the BGS. Results SARI surveillance allowed timely detection of the Omicron (BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5) and Delta (B.1.617.2) VOCs, with no to 2 weeks delay according to the start of their epidemic growth in the Belgian population. First detection of VOCs B.1.351 and P.1 took longer, but these remained minor in Belgium. Omicron BA.3 was never detected in SARI surveillance. Timeliness could not be evaluated for B.1.1.7, being already major at the start of the study period. Conclusions Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using SARI sentinel surveillance has proven to accurately reflect VOCs detected in the population and provides a cost-effective solution for long-term genomic monitoring of circulating respiratory viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Denayer
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - François E. Dufrasne
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - Bert Monsieurs
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - Reinout van Eycken
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - Sarah Houben
- Observational Clinical Trials, Scientific Directorate of infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - Lucie Seyler
- Department of Internal Medicine and Infectiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB)Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Thomas Demuyser
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB)Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)BrusselsBelgium
- AIMS Lab, Center for Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and PharmacyVrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Els van Nedervelde
- Department of Internal Medicine and Infectiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZB)Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)BrusselsBelgium
| | | | | | - Koen Magerman
- Infection Control and Clinical LaboratoryJessa ZiekenhuisHasseltBelgium
- Department of Immunology and InfectionHasselt UniversityHasseltBelgium
| | - Door Jouck
- Infection ControlJessa ZiekenhuisHasseltBelgium
| | | | - Catherine Sion
- Laboratory Site St‐JosephGrand Hôpital de CharleroiGillyBelgium
| | | | - Evelyn Petit
- Laboratory MedicineAZ Sint‐Jan Brugge‐Oostende AVBrugesBelgium
| | - Nicolas Dauby
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint‐PierreUniversité Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- Institute for Medical Immunology, ULB Center for Research in Immunology (U‐CRI)Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
- School of Public HealthUniversité Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Marc Hainaut
- Pediatrics Department, CHU Saint‐PierreUniversité Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Lies Laenen
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Pathogens, UZ LeuvenUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Piet Maes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Simon Dellicour
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega InstituteKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL)Université Libre de BruxellesBrusselsBelgium
| | - Lize Cuypers
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Pathogens, UZ LeuvenUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Emmanuel André
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Pathogens, UZ LeuvenUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and TransplantationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Simon Couvreur
- Epidemiology and public Health, Epidemiology of Infectious DiseasesSciensanoBrusselsBelgium
| | - Ruben Brondeel
- Epidemiology and public Health, Epidemiology of Infectious DiseasesSciensanoBrusselsBelgium
| | - Cyril Barbezange
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
| | - Nathalie Bossuyt
- Epidemiology and public Health, Epidemiology of Infectious DiseasesSciensanoBrusselsBelgium
| | - Steven van Gucht
- Viral Diseases, National Influenza Centre, Scientific Directorate of Infectious Diseases in HumansSciensanoUkkelBelgium
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Cuypers L, Dellicour S, Hong SL, Potter BI, Verhasselt B, Vereecke N, Lambrechts L, Durkin K, Bours V, Klamer S, Bayon-Vicente G, Vael C, Ariën KK, De Mendonca R, Soetens O, Michel C, Bearzatto B, Naesens R, Gras J, Vankeerberghen A, Matheeussen V, Martens G, Obbels D, Lemmens A, Van den Poel B, Van Even E, De Rauw K, Waumans L, Reynders M, Degosserie J, Maes P, André E, Baele G. Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants. Viruses 2022; 14:2301. [PMID: 36298856 PMCID: PMC9612291 DOI: 10.3390/v14102301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An adequate SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance strategy has proven to be essential for countries to obtain a thorough understanding of the variants and lineages being imported and successfully established within their borders. During 2020, genomic surveillance in Belgium was not structurally implemented but performed by individual research laboratories that had to acquire the necessary funds themselves to perform this important task. At the start of 2021, a nationwide genomic surveillance consortium was established in Belgium to markedly increase the country's genomic sequencing efforts (both in terms of intensity and representativeness), to perform quality control among participating laboratories, and to enable coordination and collaboration of research projects and publications. We here discuss the genomic surveillance efforts in Belgium before and after the establishment of its genomic sequencing consortium, provide an overview of the specifics of the consortium, and explore more details regarding the scientific studies that have been published as a result of the increased number of Belgian SARS-CoV-2 genomes that have become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lize Cuypers
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Simon Dellicour
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Samuel L. Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Barney I. Potter
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Verhasselt
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nick Vereecke
- PathoSense BV, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Laurens Lambrechts
- HIV Cure Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- BioBix, Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Keith Durkin
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Vincent Bours
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, 4000 Liège, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, University Hospital of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Sofieke Klamer
- Scientific Directorate of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Bayon-Vicente
- Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Carl Vael
- Clinical Laboratory, AZ Klina, 2930 Brasschaat, Belgium
| | - Kevin K. Ariën
- Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ricardo De Mendonca
- Department of Microbiology, CUB-Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Oriane Soetens
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Michel
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles (LHUB-ULB), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bertrand Bearzatto
- Center for Applied Molecular Technologies (CTMA), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Reinout Naesens
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeremie Gras
- Institute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG), 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Anne Vankeerberghen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Campus Aalst-Asse-Ninove, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, 9300 Aalst, Belgium
| | - Veerle Matheeussen
- Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Geert Martens
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Delta General Hospital, 8800 Roeselare, Belgium
| | - Dagmar Obbels
- Clinical Laboratory, Imelda Hospital, 2820 Bonheiden, Belgium
| | - Ann Lemmens
- Laboratory of Clinical Biology, AZ Sint-Maarten Hospital, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Bea Van den Poel
- Clinical Laboratory, General Hospital Jan Portaels, 1800 Vilvoorde, Belgium
| | - Ellen Van Even
- Clinical Laboratory of Microbiology, HH Hospital Lier, 2500 Lier, Belgium
| | - Klara De Rauw
- Laboratory of Clinical Biology, AZ Sint Lucas Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Waumans
- Clinical Laboratory, Jessa Hospital, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Marijke Reynders
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Microbiology, AZ Sint-Jan Bruges-Ostend AV, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
| | - Jonathan Degosserie
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, CHU UCL Namur, 5530 Yvoir, Belgium
- Next Generation Sequencing Platform, Molecular Diagnostic Center, CHU UCL Namur, 5530 Yvoir, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emmanuel André
- National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Federal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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