1
|
Brito AF, Semenova E, Dudas G, Hassler GW, Kalinich CC, Kraemer MUG, Ho J, Tegally H, Githinji G, Agoti CN, Matkin LE, Whittaker C, Howden BP, Sintchenko V, Zuckerman NS, Mor O, Blankenship HM, de Oliveira T, Lin RTP, Siqueira MM, Resende PC, Vasconcelos ATR, Spilki FR, Aguiar RS, Alexiev I, Ivanov IN, Philipova I, Carrington CVF, Sahadeo NSD, Branda B, Gurry C, Maurer-Stroh S, Naidoo D, von Eije KJ, Perkins MD, van Kerkhove M, Hill SC, Sabino EC, Pybus OG, Dye C, Bhatt S, Flaxman S, Suchard MA, Grubaugh ND, Baele G, Faria NR. Global disparities in SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7003. [PMID: 36385137 PMCID: PMC9667854 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33713-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic sequencing is essential to track the evolution and spread of SARS-CoV-2, optimize molecular tests, treatments, vaccines, and guide public health responses. To investigate the global SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance, we used sequences shared via GISAID to estimate the impact of sequencing intensity and turnaround times on variant detection in 189 countries. In the first two years of the pandemic, 78% of high-income countries sequenced >0.5% of their COVID-19 cases, while 42% of low- and middle-income countries reached that mark. Around 25% of the genomes from high income countries were submitted within 21 days, a pattern observed in 5% of the genomes from low- and middle-income countries. We found that sequencing around 0.5% of the cases, with a turnaround time <21 days, could provide a benchmark for SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance. Socioeconomic inequalities undermine the global pandemic preparedness, and efforts must be made to support low- and middle-income countries improve their local sequencing capacity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anderson F Brito
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Instituto Todos pela Saúde, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Gytis Dudas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Gabriel W Hassler
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chaney C Kalinich
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Joses Ho
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
- Bioinformatics Institute & ID Labs, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Houriiyah Tegally
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - George Githinji
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Charles N Agoti
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- School of Health and Human Sciences, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Lucy E Matkin
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Charles Whittaker
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin P Howden
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vitali Sintchenko
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Neta S Zuckerman
- Central Virology Laboratory, Israel Ministry of Health, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Orna Mor
- Central Virology Laboratory, Israel Ministry of Health, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Heather M Blankenship
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories, Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Tulio de Oliveira
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raymond T P Lin
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marilda Mendonça Siqueira
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paola Cristina Resende
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Tereza R Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Fernando R Spilki
- Feevale University, Institute of Health Sciences, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Renato Santana Aguiar
- Laboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Ensino (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ivailo Alexiev
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan N Ivanov
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivva Philipova
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Christine V F Carrington
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Nikita S D Sahadeo
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Ben Branda
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
| | - Céline Gurry
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Maurer-Stroh
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
- Bioinformatics Institute & ID Labs, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dhamari Naidoo
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Karin J von Eije
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Division of Clinical Virology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mark D Perkins
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maria van Kerkhove
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Ester C Sabino
- Instituto Todos pela Saúde, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Oliver G Pybus
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead, UK
| | | | - Samir Bhatt
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Seth Flaxman
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marc A Suchard
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nathan D Grubaugh
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nuno R Faria
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lexmond WS, de Meijer VE, Scheenstra R, Bontemps STH, Duiker EW, Schölvinck EH, Zhou X, von Eije KJ, Reyntjens KMEM, Verkade HJ, Porte RJ, de Kleine RH. Indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure: Clinical characteristics of a temporal cluster of five children in the Netherlands in the spring of 2022. United European Gastroenterol J 2022; 10:795-804. [PMID: 35773246 PMCID: PMC9557968 DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.12269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing global concern of severe acute hepatitis of unknown etiology in young children. In early 2022, our center for liver transplantation in the Netherlands treated five children who presented in short succession with indeterminate acute liver failure. Four children underwent liver transplantation, one spontaneously recovered. Here we delineate the clinical course and comprehensive diagnostic workup of these patients. Three of five patients showed a gradual decline of liver synthetic function and had mild neurological symptoms. Their clinical and histological findings were consistent with hepatitis. These three patients all had a past SARS-CoV-2 infection and two of them were positive for adenovirus DNA. The other two patients presented with advanced liver failure and encephalopathy and underwent dialysis as a bridge to transplantation. One of these children spontaneously recovered. We discuss this cluster of patients in the context of the currently elevated incidence of severe acute hepatitis in children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Willem S Lexmond
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent E de Meijer
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - René Scheenstra
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander T H Bontemps
- Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien W Duiker
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth H Schölvinck
- Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases / Immunology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Xuewei Zhou
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Karin J von Eije
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen M E M Reyntjens
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henkjan J Verkade
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robert J Porte
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben H de Kleine
- Department of Surgery, Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Brito AF, Semenova E, Dudas G, Hassler GW, Kalinich CC, Kraemer MU, Ho J, Tegally H, Githinji G, Agoti CN, Matkin LE, Whittaker C, Howden BP, Sintchenko V, Zuckerman NS, Mor O, Blankenship HM, de Oliveira T, Lin RTP, Siqueira MM, Resende PC, Vasconcelos ATR, Spilki FR, Aguiar RS, Alexiev I, Ivanov IN, Philipova I, Carrington CVF, Sahadeo NSD, Gurry C, Maurer-Stroh S, Naidoo D, von Eije KJ, Perkins MD, van Kerkhove M, Hill SC, Sabino EC, Pybus OG, Dye C, Bhatt S, Flaxman S, Suchard MA, Grubaugh ND, Baele G, Faria NR. Global disparities in SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance. medRxiv 2021:2021.08.21.21262393. [PMID: 34462754 PMCID: PMC8404891 DOI: 10.1101/2021.08.21.21262393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Genomic sequencing provides critical information to track the evolution and spread of SARS-CoV-2, optimize molecular tests, treatments and vaccines, and guide public health responses. To investigate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the global SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance, we estimated the impact of sequencing intensity and turnaround times (TAT) on variant detection in 167 countries. Most countries submit genomes >21 days after sample collection, and 77% of low and middle income countries sequenced <0.5% of their cases. We found that sequencing at least 0.5% of the cases, with a TAT <21 days, could be a benchmark for SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance efforts. Socioeconomic inequalities substantially impact our ability to quickly detect SARS-CoV-2 variants, and undermine the global pandemic preparedness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anderson F. Brito
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Instituto Todos pela Saúde, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elizaveta Semenova
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Gytis Dudas
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gabriel W. Hassler
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chaney C. Kalinich
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Joses Ho
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
- Bioinformatics Institute & ID Labs, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Houriiyah Tegally
- KwaZulu–Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - George Githinji
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani University, Kenya
| | | | - Lucy E. Matkin
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Whittaker
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin P Howden
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vitali Sintchenko
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, New South Wales 2145, Australia
| | - Neta S. Zuckerman
- Central Virology Laboratory, Israel Ministry of Health, Sheba Medical Center, Israel
| | - Orna Mor
- Central Virology Laboratory, Israel Ministry of Health, Sheba Medical Center, Israel
| | - Heather M Blankenship
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories, Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Tulio de Oliveira
- KwaZulu–Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Fernando R. Spilki
- Feevale University, Institute of Health Sciences, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Renato Santana Aguiar
- Laboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Instituto D’Or de Pesquisa e Ensino (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ivailo Alexiev
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivan N. Ivanov
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ivva Philipova
- National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Christine V. F. Carrington
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Nikita S. D. Sahadeo
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Céline Gurry
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Maurer-Stroh
- GISAID Global Data Science Initiative, Munich, Germany
- Bioinformatics Institute & ID Labs, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore
| | - Dhamari Naidoo
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Karin J von Eije
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Division of Clinical Virology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mark D. Perkins
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maria van Kerkhove
- Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses Unit, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Ester C. Sabino
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Oliver G. Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Dye
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samir Bhatt
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Seth Flaxman
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marc A. Suchard
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nathan D. Grubaugh
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Guy Baele
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nuno R. Faria
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Goorhuis A, von Eije KJ, Douma RA, Rijnberg N, van Vugt M, Stijnis C, Grobusch MP. Zika virus and the risk of imported infection in returned travelers: Implications for clinical care. Travel Med Infect Dis 2016; 14:13-15. [PMID: 26872416 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2016.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Since late 2015, an unprecedented outbreak of Zika virus is spreading quickly across Southern America. The large size of the current outbreak in The Americas will also result in an increase in Zika virus infections among travelers returning from endemic areas. We report five cases of imported Zika virus infection to The Netherlands. Although the clinical course is usually mild, establishing the diagnosis is important, mainly because of the association with congenital microcephaly and the possibility of sexual transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Goorhuis
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Karin J von Eije
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Renée A Douma
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Noor Rijnberg
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michele van Vugt
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis Stijnis
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
von Eije KJ, Schinkel J, van den Kerkhof JHCTH, Schreuder I, de Jong MD, Grobusch MP, Goorhuis A. [Imported Zika virus infection in the Netherlands]. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2015; 160:D153. [PMID: 26906886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Since mid-2015, a rapidly expanding outbreak of Zika virus infection is spreading across Latin America and the Caribbean. Although Zika virus infection usually causes only mild disease, the World Health Organization has declared the epidemiological association with the occurrence of congenital microcephaly and neurological complications a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' and urged the international community to mount a coordinated international response aimed to protect people at risk, especially pregnant women. In December 2015, the first case of imported Zika virus infection in the Netherlands was diagnosed in a returned traveler from Surinam. To date, more than 20 cases have been reported in The Netherlands, all imported from Surinam. We describe the epidemiology, clinical aspects, diagnostic challenges and the existing evidence to date that link Zika virus infection to complications.
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that can be induced by small interfering RNAs to mediate sequence-specific gene silencing by cleavage of the targeted mRNA. RNAi can be used as an antiviral approach to silence the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) through stable expression of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs). Previously, we used a co-transfection assay in which shRNA constructs were transfected with an HIV-1 molecular clone to identify 20 shRNA inhibitors that target highly conserved HIV-1 sequences. METHODS In the present study, we selected the most potent shRNAs to formulate a combinatorial shRNA therapy and determine the best and easiest method for antiviral shRNA selection. We performed transient inhibition assays with either a luciferase reporter or HIV-1 molecular clone and also infected shRNA-expressing T cell lines with HIV-1 and monitored virus replication. The latter assay allows detection of viral escape. In addition, we also tested shRNA-expressing T cells upon challenge with increasing dosages of HIV-1, and measured the dose required to result in massive virus-induced syncytia formation in this 2-week assay. RESULTS Extended culturing selected three highly effective shRNAs that do not allow viral replication for more than 100 days. This difference in potency was not observed in the transient co-transfection assays. The use of increased dosages of HIV-1 selected the same highly potent shRNAs as the laborious and extended escape study. CONCLUSIONS These highly potent shRNAs could be used for a clinical vector and the comparison of the developed assays might help other researchers in their search for antiviral shRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karin J von Eije
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Centre for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Barichievy S, Saayman S, von Eije KJ, Morris KV, Arbuthnot P, Weinberg MS. The inhibitory efficacy of RNA POL III-expressed long hairpin RNAs targeted to untranslated regions of the HIV-1 5' long terminal repeat. Oligonucleotides 2008; 17:419-31. [PMID: 17896874 DOI: 10.1089/oli.2007.0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a lentivirus that causes persistent infection resulting in the demise of immune regulatory cells, and ensuing diseases associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although current therapeutic modalities have had a significant impact on mortality rates, novel therapies are constantly needed to prevent the emergence of resistant viral variants that escape the effects of antivirals. RNA Interference (RNAi) is a promising therapeutic modality for the inhibition of HIV-1 RNAs. Traditionally, RNAi effector sequences include expressed short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Recently, expressed long hairpin RNAs (lhRNAs) have been used with the aim of generating multiple independent siRNAs, which simultaneously target different susceptible sites on HIV-1. Here, modified lhRNAs expressed from U6 RNA Pol III promoters were targeted to sites within the first transcribed sequences of the HIV-1 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) region. Both Tat-dependent and independent suppressive efficacy was demonstrated against subtype B and C reporter sequences; however, lhRNAs complementary to the TAR stem-loop were refractory to silencing. None of the lhRNAs induced an unwanted interferon response as measured by interferon beta levels. Silencing by the lhRNAs was not equal across the extent of its cognate sequence, with the greatest efficacy observed for sequences located at the base of the stem. Nevertheless, direct antireplicative activity was seen when targeting lhRNAs to a subtype B HIV clone pNL4-3 Luc and a subtype C wild-type HIV-1 strain, FV5. These data highlight distinct target loci within the 5' LTR of HIV-1 that are susceptible to lhRNA targeting, and may prove to have an important advantage over other RNAi target sites within HIV-1. Although lhRNAs themselves require further manipulation to improve their overall efficacy in generating multiple functioning siRNAs, they may prove useful in any combinatorial-based approach to treating HIV-1 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Barichievy
- Antiviral Gene Therapy Unit, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|