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Jarju S, Wenlock RD, Danso M, Jobe D, Jagne YJ, Darboe A, Kumado M, Jallow Y, Touray M, Ceesay EA, Gaye H, Gaye B, Tunkara A, Kandeh S, Gomes M, Sylva EL, Toure F, Hornsby H, Lindsey BB, Nicklin MJ, Sayers JR, Sesay AK, Kucharski A, Hodgson D, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. High SARS-CoV-2 incidence and asymptomatic fraction during Delta and Omicron BA.1 waves in The Gambia. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3814. [PMID: 38714680 PMCID: PMC11076623 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48098-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Little is known about SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in African countries with high levels of infection-driven immunity and low vaccine coverage. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 349 participants from 52 households in The Gambia between March 2021 and June 2022, with routine weekly SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and 6-monthly SARS-CoV-2 serology. Attack rates of 45% and 57% were seen during Delta and Omicron BA.1 waves respectively. Eighty-four percent of RT-PCR-positive infections were asymptomatic. Children under 5-years had a lower incidence of infection than 18-49-year-olds. One prior SARS-CoV-2 infection reduced infection risk during the Delta wave only, with immunity from ≥2 prior infections required to reduce the risk of infection with early Omicron lineage viruses. In an African population with high levels of infection-driven immunity and low vaccine coverage, we find high attack rates during SARS-CoV-2 waves, with a high proportion of asymptomatic infections and young children remaining relatively protected from infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Rhys D Wenlock
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Madikoi Danso
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Dawda Jobe
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ya Jankey Jagne
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Alansana Darboe
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Michelle Kumado
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Yusupha Jallow
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Mamlie Touray
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima A Ceesay
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Hoja Gaye
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Biran Gaye
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Abdoulie Tunkara
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Sheriff Kandeh
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Marie Gomes
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ellen Lena Sylva
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Fatoumata Toure
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Hailey Hornsby
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Benjamin B Lindsey
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Martin J Nicklin
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jon R Sayers
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, UK
- The Florey Institute of Infection, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Adam Kucharski
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK
| | - David Hodgson
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia.
- Institute for International Health, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia.
- Division of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine and Population Health, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, UK.
- The Florey Institute of Infection, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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Bah SY, Kujabi MA, Darboe S, Kebbeh N, Kebbeh BFK, Kanteh A, Bojang R, Lawn JE, Kampmann B, Sesay AK, de Silva TI, Brotherton H. Acquisition and carriage of genetically diverse multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacilli in hospitalised newborns in The Gambia. Commun Med (Lond) 2023; 3:79. [PMID: 37270610 PMCID: PMC10239441 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00309-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This detailed genomic study characterised multi-drug resistant-Gram negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) carriage in neonates < 2 kg and paired mothers at a low-resource African hospital. METHODS This cross-sectional cohort study was conducted at the neonatal referral unit in The Gambia with weekly neonatal skin and peri-anal sampling and paired maternal recto-vaginal swabs. Prospective bacteriological culture used MacConkey agar with species identification by API20E and API20NE. All GNB isolates underwent whole genome sequencing on Illumina Miseq platform. Multi-Locus Sequence Typing and SNP-distance analysis identified strain type and relatedness. RESULTS 135 swabs from 34 neonates and 21 paired mothers, yielded 137 GNB isolates, of which 112 are high quality de novo assemblies. Neonatal MDR-GNB carriage prevalence is 41% (14/34) at admission with 85% (11/13) new acquisition by 7d. Multiple MDR and ESBL-GNB species are carried at different timepoints, most frequently K. pneumoniae and E. coli, with heterogeneous strain diversity and no evidence of clonality. 111 distinct antibiotic resistance genes are mostly beta lactamases (Bla-AMPH, Bla-PBP, CTX-M-15, Bla-TEM-105). 76% (16/21) and 62% (13/21) of mothers have recto-vaginal carriage of ≥1 MDR-GNB and ESBL-GNB respectively, mostly MDR-E. coli (76%, 16/21) and MDR-K. pneumoniae (24%, 5/21). Of 21 newborn-mother dyads, only one have genetically identical isolates (E. coli ST131 and K. pneumoniae ST3476). CONCLUSIONS Gambian hospitalised neonates exhibit high MDR and ESBL-GNB carriage prevalence with acquisition between birth and 7d with limited evidence supporting mother to neonate transmission. Genomic studies in similar settings are required to further understand transmission and inform targeted surveillance and infection prevention policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saikou Y Bah
- The Florey Institute of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Mariama A Kujabi
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Saffiatou Darboe
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Ngange Kebbeh
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Bunja F K Kebbeh
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Abdoulie Kanteh
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | | | - Joy E Lawn
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
- Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Institut fur Internationale Gesundheit and Centre for Global Health, Charite Universitatsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- The Florey Institute of Host-Pathogen Interactions, Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- MRC Unit, The Gambia at LSHTM, Atlantic Road, Fajara, The Gambia.
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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3
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Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Affleck L, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2023; 6:148. [PMID: 36726685 PMCID: PMC9883272 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.14155.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Lucy Affleck
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
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4
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Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Affleck L, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2023; 6:148. [PMID: 36726685 PMCID: PMC9883272 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.14155.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Lucy Affleck
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
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5
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Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Affleck L, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2022; 6:148. [PMID: 36726685 PMCID: PMC9883272 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.14155.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Lucy Affleck
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
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Tegally H, San JE, Cotten M, Moir M, Tegomoh B, Mboowa G, Martin DP, Baxter C, Lambisia AW, Diallo A, Amoako DG, Diagne MM, Sisay A, Zekri ARN, Gueye AS, Sangare AK, Ouedraogo AS, Sow A, Musa AO, Sesay AK, Abias AG, Elzagheid AI, Lagare A, Kemi AS, Abar AE, Johnson AA, Fowotade A, Oluwapelumi AO, Amuri AA, Juru A, Kandeil A, Mostafa A, Rebai A, Sayed A, Kazeem A, Balde A, Christoffels A, Trotter AJ, Campbell A, Keita AK, Kone A, Bouzid A, Souissi A, Agweyu A, Naguib A, Gutierrez AV, Nkeshimana A, Page AJ, Yadouleton A, Vinze A, Happi AN, Chouikha A, Iranzadeh A, Maharaj A, Batchi-Bouyou AL, Ismail A, Sylverken AA, Goba A, Femi A, Sijuwola AE, Marycelin B, Salako BL, Oderinde BS, Bolajoko B, Diarra B, Herring BL, Tsofa B, Lekana-Douki B, Mvula B, Njanpop-Lafourcade BM, Marondera BT, Khaireh BA, Kouriba B, Adu B, Pool B, McInnis B, Brook C, Williamson C, Nduwimana C, Anscombe C, Pratt CB, Scheepers C, Akoua-Koffi CG, Agoti CN, Mapanguy CM, Loucoubar C, Onwuamah CK, Ihekweazu C, Malaka CN, Peyrefitte C, Grace C, Omoruyi CE, Rafaï CD, Morang’a CM, Erameh C, Lule DB, Bridges DJ, Mukadi-Bamuleka D, Park D, Rasmussen DA, Baker D, Nokes DJ, Ssemwanga D, Tshiabuila D, Amuzu DSY, Goedhals D, Grant DS, Omuoyo DO, Maruapula D, Wanjohi DW, Foster-Nyarko E, Lusamaki EK, Simulundu E, Ong’era EM, Ngabana EN, Abworo EO, Otieno E, Shumba E, Barasa E, Ahmed EB, Ahmed EA, Lokilo E, Mukantwari E, Philomena E, Belarbi E, Simon-Loriere E, Anoh EA, Manuel E, Leendertz F, Taweh FM, Wasfi F, Abdelmoula F, Takawira FT, Derrar F, Ajogbasile FV, Treurnicht F, Onikepe F, Ntoumi F, Muyembe FM, Ragomzingba FEZ, Dratibi FA, Iyanu FA, Mbunsu GK, Thilliez G, Kay GL, Akpede GO, van Zyl GU, Awandare GA, Kpeli GS, Schubert G, Maphalala GP, Ranaivoson HC, Omunakwe HE, Onywera H, Abe H, Karray H, Nansumba H, Triki H, Kadjo HAA, Elgahzaly H, Gumbo H, Mathieu H, Kavunga-Membo H, Smeti I, Olawoye IB, Adetifa IMO, Odia I, Ben Boubaker IB, Mohammad IA, Ssewanyana I, Wurie I, Konstantinus IS, Halatoko JWA, Ayei J, Sonoo J, Makangara JCC, Tamfum JJM, Heraud JM, Shaffer JG, Giandhari J, Musyoki J, Nkurunziza J, Uwanibe JN, Bhiman JN, Yasuda J, Morais J, Kiconco J, Sandi JD, Huddleston J, Odoom JK, Morobe JM, Gyapong JO, Kayiwa JT, Okolie JC, Xavier JS, Gyamfi J, Wamala JF, Bonney JHK, Nyandwi J, Everatt J, Nakaseegu J, Ngoi JM, Namulondo J, Oguzie JU, Andeko JC, Lutwama JJ, Mogga JJH, O’Grady J, Siddle KJ, Victoir K, Adeyemi KT, Tumedi KA, Carvalho KS, Mohammed KS, Dellagi K, Musonda KG, Duedu KO, Fki-Berrajah L, Singh L, Kepler LM, Biscornet L, de Oliveira Martins L, Chabuka L, Olubayo L, Ojok LD, Deng LL, Ochola-Oyier LI, Tyers L, Mine M, Ramuth M, Mastouri M, ElHefnawi M, Mbanne M, Matsheka MI, Kebabonye M, Diop M, Momoh M, Lima Mendonça MDL, Venter M, Paye MF, Faye M, Nyaga MM, Mareka M, Damaris MM, Mburu MW, Mpina MG, Owusu M, Wiley MR, Tatfeng MY, Ayekaba MO, Abouelhoda M, Beloufa MA, Seadawy MG, Khalifa MK, Matobo MM, Kane M, Salou M, Mbulawa MB, Mwenda M, Allam M, Phan MVT, Abid N, Rujeni N, Abuzaid N, Ismael N, Elguindy N, Top NM, Dia N, Mabunda N, Hsiao NY, Silochi NB, Francisco NM, Saasa N, Bbosa N, Murunga N, Gumede N, Wolter N, Sitharam N, Ndodo N, Ajayi NA, Tordo N, Mbhele N, Razanajatovo NH, Iguosadolo N, Mba N, Kingsley OC, Sylvanus O, Femi O, Adewumi OM, Testimony O, Ogunsanya OA, Fakayode O, Ogah OE, Oludayo OE, Faye O, Smith-Lawrence P, Ondoa P, Combe P, Nabisubi P, Semanda P, Oluniyi PE, Arnaldo P, Quashie PK, Okokhere PO, Bejon P, Dussart P, Bester PA, Mbala PK, Kaleebu P, Abechi P, El-Shesheny R, Joseph R, Aziz RK, Essomba RG, Ayivor-Djanie R, Njouom R, Phillips RO, Gorman R, Kingsley RA, Neto Rodrigues RMDESA, Audu RA, Carr RAA, Gargouri S, Masmoudi S, Bootsma S, Sankhe S, Mohamed SI, Femi S, Mhalla S, Hosch S, Kassim SK, Metha S, Trabelsi S, Agwa SH, Mwangi SW, Doumbia S, Makiala-Mandanda S, Aryeetey S, Ahmed SS, Ahmed SM, Elhamoumi S, Moyo S, Lutucuta S, Gaseitsiwe S, Jalloh S, Andriamandimby SF, Oguntope S, Grayo S, Lekana-Douki S, Prosolek S, Ouangraoua S, van Wyk S, Schaffner SF, Kanyerezi S, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Rudder S, Pillay S, Nabadda S, Behillil S, Budiaki SL, van der Werf S, Mashe T, Mohale T, Le-Viet T, Velavan TP, Schindler T, Maponga TG, Bedford T, Anyaneji UJ, Chinedu U, Ramphal U, George UE, Enouf V, Nene V, Gorova V, Roshdy WH, Karim WA, Ampofo WK, Preiser W, Choga WT, Ahmed YA, Ramphal Y, Bediako Y, Naidoo Y, Butera Y, de Laurent ZR, Ouma AEO, von Gottberg A, Githinji G, Moeti M, Tomori O, Sabeti PC, Sall AA, Oyola SO, Tebeje YK, Tessema SK, de Oliveira T, Happi C, Lessells R, Nkengasong J, Wilkinson E. The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance. Science 2022; 378:eabq5358. [PMID: 36108049 PMCID: PMC9529057 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq5358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houriiyah Tegally
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - James E. San
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Matthew Cotten
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Monika Moir
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Bryan Tegomoh
- The Biotechnology Centre of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Gerald Mboowa
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Darren P. Martin
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Cheryl Baxter
- 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
| | | | - Amadou Diallo
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Daniel G. Amoako
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | | | - Abay Sisay
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abdel-Rahman N. Zekri
- Cancer Biology Department, Virology and Immunology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Abdou Salam Gueye
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Abdoul K. Sangare
- Centre d’Infectiologie Charles Mérieux-Mali (CICM-Mali), Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoul-Salam Ouedraogo
- Bacteriology and Virology Department Souro Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Abdualmoniem O. Musa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kassala University, Kassala City, Sudan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
- General Administration of Laboratories and Blood Banks, Ministry of Health, Kassala State, Sudan
| | | | - Abe G. Abias
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
| | | | - Adamou Lagare
- Center for Medical and Sanitary Research (CERMES), Niamey, Niger
| | | | - Aden Elmi Abar
- Laboratoire de la Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale, Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti
| | - Adeniji A. Johnson
- Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Infectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Adeola Fowotade
- Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Biorepository Clinical Virology Laboratory, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Adeyemi O. Oluwapelumi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
- The Pirbright Institute, Woking, UK
| | - Adrienne A. Amuri
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Agnes Juru
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Ahmed Kandeil
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Mostafa
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Rebai
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ahmed Sayed
- Genomics and Epigenomics Program, Research Department CCHE57357, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Akano Kazeem
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Aladje Balde
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Jean Piaget, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
- University Jean Piaget in Guinea-Bissau, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Alan Christoffels
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- SAMRC Bioinformatics Unit, SA Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Allan Campbell
- Central Public Health Reference Laboratories, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Alpha K. Keita
- Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université de Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
- TransVIHMI, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Montpellier University, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Amadou Kone
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Amal Bouzid
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amal Souissi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | | | - Amel Naguib
- Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | | | - Anges Yadouleton
- Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales du Benin, Cotonou, Benin
| | - Anika Vinze
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anise N. Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Anissa Chouikha
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis 1002, Tunisia
- Research Laboratory “Virus, Vectors and Hosts: One Health Apporach and Technological Innovation for a Better Health”, LR20IPT02, Pasteur Institute, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Arash Iranzadeh
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Arisha Maharaj
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Armel L. Batchi-Bouyou
- Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Arshad Ismail
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Augustina A. Sylverken
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Augustine Goba
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Ayoade Femi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ayotunde E. Sijuwola
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Baba Marycelin
- Department of Immunology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1414, Maiduguri, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
| | - Babatunde L. Salako
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
- Infectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Bamidele S. Oderinde
- Department of Immunology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1414, Maiduguri, Nigeria
| | - Bankole Bolajoko
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Bassirou Diarra
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Belinda L. Herring
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Bernard Lekana-Douki
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Libreville, Gabon
| | - Bernard Mvula
- National HIV Reference Laboratory, Community Health Sciences Unit, Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | | | | | - Bouh Abdi Khaireh
- National Medical and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti
- Africa CDC, Rapid Responder, Team Djibouti, Djibouti, Djibouti
| | - Bourema Kouriba
- Centre d’Infectiologie Charles Mérieux-Mali (CICM-Mali), Bamako, Mali
| | - Bright Adu
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Brigitte Pool
- Seychelles Public Health Laboratory, Public Health Authority, Ministry of Health Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles
| | - Bronwyn McInnis
- Cancer Biology Department, Virology and Immunology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Cara Brook
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Carolyn Williamson
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Catherine Anscombe
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Cathrine Scheepers
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- SAMRC Antibody Immunity Research Unit, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Chantal G. Akoua-Koffi
- CHU de Bouaké, Laboratoire/Unité de Diagnostic des Virus des Fièvres Hémorragiques et Virus Émergents, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
- UFR Sciences Médicales, Universite Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Charles N. Agoti
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- School of Public Health, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Chastel M. Mapanguy
- Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Faculty of Science and Techniques, University Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Chika K. Onwuamah
- Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Chikwe Ihekweazu
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Christian N. Malaka
- Laboratoire des Arbovirus, Fièvres Hémorragiques virales, Virus Emergents et Zoonoses, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | | | - Chukwa Grace
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Chukwuma E. Omoruyi
- Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Biorepository Clinical Virology Laboratory, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Clotaire D. Rafaï
- Le Laboratoire National de Biologie Clinique et de Santé Publique (LNBCSP), Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Collins M. Morang’a
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Cyril Erameh
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
| | - Daniel B. Lule
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | | | - Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Danny Park
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David A. Rasmussen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - David J. Nokes
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- School of Life Sciences and Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Deogratius Ssemwanga
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Derek Tshiabuila
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Dominic S. Y. Amuzu
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dominique Goedhals
- PathCare Vermaak, Pretoria, South Africa and Division of Virology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Donald S. Grant
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Dorcas Maruapula
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Dorcas W. Wanjohi
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Eddy K. Lusamaki
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- TransVIHMI, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Montpellier University, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Edith N. Ngabana
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Edward O. Abworo
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Edward Otieno
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Edwin Shumba
- African Society for Laboratory Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Edwine Barasa
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - El Bara Ahmed
- INRSP, Nouakchott, Mauritania
- Faculté de Médecine de Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritani
| | - Elhadi A. Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
| | - Emmanuel Lokilo
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Eromon Philomena
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Etilé A. Anoh
- CHU de Bouaké, Laboratoire/Unité de Diagnostic des Virus des Fièvres Hémorragiques et Virus Émergents, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Eusebio Manuel
- Direcção Nacional da Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Luanda, Angola
| | | | - Fahn M. Taweh
- National Public Health Reference Laboratory–National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
| | - Fares Wasfi
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Fatma Abdelmoula
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | | | - Fawzi Derrar
- National Influenza Centre, Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Fehintola V. Ajogbasile
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Florette Treurnicht
- Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Folarin Onikepe
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Francine Ntoumi
- Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Francisca M. Muyembe
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Fred A. Dratibi
- WHO Int Comoros, Moroni, Union of Comoros
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Fred-Akintunwa Iyanu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Gabriel K. Mbunsu
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | | | - George O. Akpede
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
| | - Gert U. van Zyl
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gordon A. Awandare
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Grace S. Kpeli
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana
| | | | - Gugu P. Maphalala
- Ministry of Health, COVID-19 Testing Laboratory, Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini
| | | | - Hannah E. Omunakwe
- Satellite Molecular Laboratory, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Harris Onywera
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Haruka Abe
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hela Karray
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | | | - Henda Triki
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | | | - Hesham Elgahzaly
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research Institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hlanai Gumbo
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Hota Mathieu
- Doctoral School of Technical and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology and Human Health, N’Djamena, Chad
| | - Hugo Kavunga-Membo
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Ibtihel Smeti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Idowu B. Olawoye
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ifedayo M. O. Adetifa
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ikponmwosa Odia
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
| | - Ilhem Boutiba Ben Boubaker
- Charles Nicolle Hospital, Laboratory of Microbiology, National Influenza Center, Tunis, Tunisia
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Research Laboratory LR99ES09, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Iluoreh Ahmed Mohammad
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | - Isatta Wurie
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Science, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | - James Ayei
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
| | - Janaki Sonoo
- Virology/Molecular Biology Department, Central Health Laboratory, Victoria Hospital, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Port Louis, Mauritius
| | - Jean-Claude C. Makangara
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Jacques M. Tamfum
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Michel Heraud
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jeffrey G. Shaffer
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jennifer Giandhari
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | | | - Jessica N. Uwanibe
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Jinal N. Bhiman
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Joana Morais
- Grupo de Investigação Microbiana e Imunológica, Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (National Institute for Health Research), Luanda, Angola
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola
| | | | - John D. Sandi
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - John Huddleston
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - John K. Odoom
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - John O. Gyapong
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - John T. Kayiwa
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Johnson C. Okolie
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Joicymara S. Xavier
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Unaí, Brazil
| | - Jones Gyamfi
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | | | - Joseph H. K. Bonney
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Joseph Nyandwi
- National Institute of Public Health, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Burundi, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Josie Everatt
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Joyce M. Ngoi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Judith U. Oguzie
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Julia C. Andeko
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | | | | | | | - Katherine J. Siddle
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Kayode T. Adeyemi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Kefentse A. Tumedi
- Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | | | | | | | - Kwabena O. Duedu
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana
| | - Lamia Fki-Berrajah
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Lavanya Singh
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Lenora M. Kepler
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Leon Biscornet
- Seychelles Public Health Laboratory, Public Health Authority, Ministry of Health Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | | | - Luicer Olubayo
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lul Deng Ojok
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
| | - Lul Lojok Deng
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
| | | | - Lynn Tyers
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Madisa Mine
- National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Magalutcheemee Ramuth
- Virology/Molecular Biology Department, Central Health Laboratory, Victoria Hospital, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Port Louis, Mauritius
| | - Maha Mastouri
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Mahmoud ElHefnawi
- Biomedical Informatics and Chemoinformatics Group, Informatics and Systems Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Maimouna Mbanne
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | | | - Mamadou Diop
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Mambu Momoh
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Marietjie Venter
- Zoonotic Arbo and Respiratory Virus Program, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marietou F. Paye
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martin Faye
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Martin M. Nyaga
- Next Generation Sequencing Unit and Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | | | - Matoke-Muhia Damaris
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Maximillian G. Mpina
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones de Baney, Baney, Equatorial Guinea
- Ifakara Health Insitute, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Michael Owusu
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Michael R. Wiley
- University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
- PraesensBio, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Mirabeau Y. Tatfeng
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
| | | | - Mohamed Abouelhoda
- Systems and Biomedical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Mohamed G. Seadawy
- Biological Prevention Department, Ministry of Defence, Cairo, Egypt
- Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | | | | | - Mouhamed Kane
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | | | | | - Mushal Allam
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - My V. T. Phan
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Nabil Abid
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Rue Taher Haddad 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Nadine Rujeni
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Nadir Abuzaid
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan
| | - Nalia Ismael
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Marracuene, Mozambique
| | | | | | - Ndongo Dia
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Nédio Mabunda
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Marracuene, Mozambique
| | - Nei-yuan Hsiao
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Ngiambudulu M. Francisco
- Grupo de Investigação Microbiana e Imunológica, Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (National Institute for Health Research), Luanda, Angola
| | - Ngonda Saasa
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Nicholas Bbosa
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | | | - Nicksy Gumede
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Nicole Wolter
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nikita Sitharam
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Nnaemeka Ndodo
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Nnennaya A. Ajayi
- Internal Medicine Department, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Noël Tordo
- Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Conarky, Guinea
| | - Nokuzola Mbhele
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Nosamiefan Iguosadolo
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Nwando Mba
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ojide C. Kingsley
- Virology Laboratory, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Okogbenin Sylvanus
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
| | - Oladiji Femi
- Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences. College of Health Sciences. University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Olubusuyi M. Adewumi
- Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Infectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Olumade Testimony
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Olusola A. Ogunsanya
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Oluwatosin Fakayode
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Onwe E. Ogah
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Ope-Ewe Oludayo
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ousmane Faye
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Pascale Ondoa
- African Society for Laboratory Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Patricia Nabisubi
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Sciences, The Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Immunology and Molecular Biology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Paul E. Oluniyi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Paulo Arnaldo
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Marracuene, Mozambique
| | - Peter Kojo Quashie
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Peter O. Okokhere
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
| | - Philip Bejon
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Philippe Dussart
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Phillip A. Bester
- Division of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Placide K. Mbala
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Pontiano Kaleebu
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Priscilla Abechi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Rabeh El-Shesheny
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt
- Infectious Hazards Preparedness, World Health Organization, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rageema Joseph
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ramy Karam Aziz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Microbiology and Immunology Research Program, Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
| | - René G. Essomba
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Reuben Ayivor-Djanie
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana
| | - Richard Njouom
- Virology Service, Centre Pasteur of Cameroun, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Richard O. Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Richmond Gorman
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Rosa Maria D. E. S. A. Neto Rodrigues
- Coordenadora da rede do Diagnóstico Tuberculose/HIV/COVID-19 na Instituição - Laboratório Nacional de Referência da Tuberculose em São Tomé e Príncipe, São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe
- Ponto focal para Melhoria da qualidade dos Laboratórios (SLIPTA) ao nível de São Tomé e Príncipe, São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe
| | - Rosemary A. Audu
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Rosina A. A. Carr
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana
| | - Saba Gargouri
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Saber Masmoudi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | | | - Safietou Sankhe
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Saibu Femi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Salma Mhalla
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Research Laboratory LR99ES09, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Salome Hosch
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samar Kamal Kassim
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research Institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samar Metha
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sameh Trabelsi
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Lab, LR16SP02, National Center of Pharmacovigilance, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sara Hassan Agwa
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research Institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sarah Wambui Mwangi
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Seydou Doumbia
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Sheila Makiala-Mandanda
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Sherihane Aryeetey
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | | | - Siham Elhamoumi
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sikhulile Moyo
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Silvia Lutucuta
- Grupo de Investigação Microbiana e Imunológica, Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (National Institute for Health Research), Luanda, Angola
| | - Simani Gaseitsiwe
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simbirie Jalloh
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Sobajo Oguntope
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | - Sonia Lekana-Douki
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | | | - Soumeya Ouangraoua
- Centre MURAZ, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- National Institute of Public Health of Burkina Faso (INSP/BF), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Stephanie van Wyk
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Stephen F. Schaffner
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen Kanyerezi
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Sciences, The Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Immunology and Molecular Biology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Steve Ahuka-Mundeke
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Sureshnee Pillay
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Susan Nabadda
- Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sylvie Behillil
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Sylvie van der Werf
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Tapfumanei Mashe
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe
- World Health Organization, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Thabo Mohale
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tobias Schindler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones de Baney, Baney, Equatorial Guinea
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tongai G. Maponga
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Trevor Bedford
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ugochukwu J. Anyaneji
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ugwu Chinedu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Upasana Ramphal
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Sub-Saharan African Network For TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE), Durban, South Africa
| | - Uwem E. George
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Vincent Enouf
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Vishvanath Nene
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Vivianne Gorova
- World Health Organization, WHO Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
- Med24 Medical Centre, Ruwa, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Wasim Abdul Karim
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - William K. Ampofo
- Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Wolfgang Preiser
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wonderful T. Choga
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Yahaya Ali Ahmed
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Yajna Ramphal
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Yaw Bediako
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Yemaachi Biotech, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yeshnee Naidoo
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Yvan Butera
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
- Center for Human Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI)
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
- The Biotechnology Centre of the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Cancer Biology Department, Virology and Immunology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Centre d’Infectiologie Charles Mérieux-Mali (CICM-Mali), Bamako, Mali
- Bacteriology and Virology Department Souro Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- West African Health Organisation, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kassala University, Kassala City, Sudan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
- General Administration of Laboratories and Blood Banks, Ministry of Health, Kassala State, Sudan
- MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Fajara, Gambia
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
- Libyan Biotechnology Research Center, Tripoli, Libya
- Center for Medical and Sanitary Research (CERMES), Niamey, Niger
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
- Laboratoire de la Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale, Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti
- Department of Virology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Infectious Disease Institute, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Biorepository Clinical Virology Laboratory, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
- The Pirbright Institute, Woking, UK
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
- Genomics and Epigenomics Program, Research Department CCHE57357, Cairo, Egypt
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular Jean Piaget, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
- University Jean Piaget in Guinea-Bissau, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
- SAMRC Bioinformatics Unit, SA Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, UK
- Central Public Health Reference Laboratories, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université de Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
- TransVIHMI, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Montpellier University, 34090, Montpellier, France
- University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), Cairo, Egypt
- National Institute of Public Health, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Laboratoire des Fièvres Hémorragiques Virales du Benin, Cotonou, Benin
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, WHO Reference Laboratory for Poliomyelitis and Measles in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar (UTM), Tunis 1002, Tunisia
- Research Laboratory “Virus, Vectors and Hosts: One Health Apporach and Technological Innovation for a Better Health”, LR20IPT02, Pasteur Institute, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
- Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Laboratory, Kenema Government Hospital, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Department of Immunology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1414, Maiduguri, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
- Département de Parasitologie-Mycologie Université des Sciences de la Santé (USS), Libreville, Gabon
- National HIV Reference Laboratory, Community Health Sciences Unit, Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, Malawi
- African Society for Laboratory Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- National Medical and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti
- Africa CDC, Rapid Responder, Team Djibouti, Djibouti, Djibouti
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
- Seychelles Public Health Laboratory, Public Health Authority, Ministry of Health Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
- University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
- SAMRC Antibody Immunity Research Unit, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- CHU de Bouaké, Laboratoire/Unité de Diagnostic des Virus des Fièvres Hémorragiques et Virus Émergents, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
- UFR Sciences Médicales, Universite Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
- School of Public Health, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
- Faculty of Science and Techniques, University Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
- Laboratoire des Arbovirus, Fièvres Hémorragiques virales, Virus Emergents et Zoonoses, Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Bangui, Central African Republic
- Le Laboratoire National de Biologie Clinique et de Santé Publique (LNBCSP), Bangui, Central African Republic
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria
- PATH, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- School of Life Sciences and Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
- PathCare Vermaak, Pretoria, South Africa and Division of Virology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Macha Research Trust, Choma, Zambia
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
- INRSP, Nouakchott, Mauritania
- Faculté de Médecine de Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritani
- Rwanda National Reference Laboratory, Kigali, Rwanda
- Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
- G5 Evolutionary Genomics of RNA Viruses, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Direcção Nacional da Saúde Pública, Ministério da Saúde, Luanda, Angola
- National Public Health Reference Laboratory–National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
- Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- National Influenza Centre, Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, Algiers, Algeria
- Department of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Ministère de Santé Publique et de la Solidarité Nationale, Ndjamena, Chad
- WHO Int Comoros, Moroni, Union of Comoros
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana
- Ministry of Health, COVID-19 Testing Laboratory, Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini
- Satellite Molecular Laboratory, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
- Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), Kampala, Uganda
- Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire, Departement des Virus Epidemiques, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research Institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
- Doctoral School of Technical and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology and Human Health, N’Djamena, Chad
- Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Charles Nicolle Hospital, Laboratory of Microbiology, National Influenza Center, Tunis, Tunisia
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Research Laboratory LR99ES09, Tunis, Tunisia
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Science, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Namibia Institute of Pathology, Windhoek, Namibia
- National Institute of Hygiene, Lomé, Togo
- Virology/Molecular Biology Department, Central Health Laboratory, Victoria Hospital, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Port Louis, Mauritius
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- WHO Burundi, Gitega, Burundi
- Grupo de Investigação Microbiana e Imunológica, Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (National Institute for Health Research), Luanda, Angola
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Unaí, Brazil
- WHO South Sudan, Juba, South Sudan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Burundi, Bujumbura, Burundi
- Pasteur Network, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Gaborone, Botswana
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Praia, Cape Verde
- Zambia National Public Health Institute, Lusaka, Zambia
- Public Health Institute of Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi
- National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biologically Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Biomedical Informatics and Chemoinformatics Group, Informatics and Systems Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
- Ministry of Health and Wellness, Gaborone, Botswana
- Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone, Kenema, Sierra Leone
- Zoonotic Arbo and Respiratory Virus Program, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Next Generation Sequencing Unit and Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- National Reference Laboratory Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones de Baney, Baney, Equatorial Guinea
- Ifakara Health Insitute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
- PraesensBio, Lincoln, NE, USA
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
- Systems and Biomedical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Biological Prevention Department, Ministry of Defence, Cairo, Egypt
- Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
- Molecular Pathology Lab, Children’s Cancer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
- Laboratoire Biolim FSS/Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Rue Taher Haddad 5000, Monastir, Tunisia
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Marracuene, Mozambique
- Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Internal Medicine Department, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Institut Pasteur de Guinée, Conarky, Guinea
- Virology Laboratory, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences. College of Health Sciences. University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
- Mayotte Hospital Center, Mayotte, France
- The African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Sciences, The Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda
- Immunology and Molecular Biology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria
- Division of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Infectious Hazards Preparedness, World Health Organization, Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Microbiology and Immunology Research Program, Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
- National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Virology Service, Centre Pasteur of Cameroun, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Coordenadora da rede do Diagnóstico Tuberculose/HIV/COVID-19 na Instituição - Laboratório Nacional de Referência da Tuberculose em São Tomé e Príncipe, São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe
- Ponto focal para Melhoria da qualidade dos Laboratórios (SLIPTA) ao nível de São Tomé e Príncipe, São Tomé, São Tomé and Principe
- National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), Mogadishu, Somalia
- Faculty of Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Lab, LR16SP02, National Center of Pharmacovigilance, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Centre MURAZ, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- National Institute of Public Health of Burkina Faso (INSP/BF), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- World Health Organization, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Vietnamese-German Center for Medical Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Sub-Saharan African Network For TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE), Durban, South Africa
- World Health Organization, WHO Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
- Med24 Medical Centre, Ruwa, Zimbabwe
- Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Yemaachi Biotech, Accra, Ghana
- Center for Human Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, Liège, Belgium
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ahmed E. O. Ouma
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Anne von Gottberg
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - George Githinji
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Matshidiso Moeti
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Oyewale Tomori
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Pardis C. Sabeti
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amadou A. Sall
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Samuel O. Oyola
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Yenew K. Tebeje
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Sofonias K. Tessema
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tulio de Oliveira
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 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
| | - Christian Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Richard Lessells
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - John Nkengasong
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Eduan Wilkinson
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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Merhi G, Trotter AJ, de Oliveira Martins L, Koweyes J, Le-Viet T, Abou Naja H, Al Buaini M, Prosolek SJ, Alikhan NF, Lott M, Tohmeh T, Badran B, Jupp OJ, Gardner S, Felgate MW, Makin KA, Wilkinson JM, Stanley R, Sesay AK, Webber MA, Davidson RK, Ghosn N, Pallen M, Hasan H, Page AJ, Tokajian S. Replacement of the Alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 by the Delta variant in Lebanon between April and June 2021. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35876490 PMCID: PMC9455693 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand globally, with case numbers rising in many areas of the world, including the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Lebanon experienced its largest wave of COVID-19 infections from January to April 2021. Limited genomic surveillance was undertaken, with just 26 SARS-CoV-2 genomes available for this period, nine of which were from travellers from Lebanon detected by other countries. Additional genome sequencing is thus needed to allow surveillance of variants in circulation. In total, 905 SARS-CoV-2 genomes were sequenced using the ARTIC protocol. The genomes were derived from SARS-CoV-2-positive samples, selected retrospectively from the sentinel COVID-19 surveillance network, to capture diversity of location, sampling time, sex, nationality and age. Although 16 PANGO lineages were circulating in Lebanon in January 2021, by February there were just four, with the Alpha variant accounting for 97 % of samples. In the following 2 months, all samples contained the Alpha variant. However, this had changed dramatically by June and July 2021, when all samples belonged to the Delta variant. This study documents a ten-fold increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 genomes available from Lebanon. The Alpha variant, first detected in the UK, rapidly swept through Lebanon, causing the country's largest wave to date, which peaked in January 2021. The Alpha variant was introduced to Lebanon multiple times despite travel restrictions, but the source of these introductions remains uncertain. The Delta variant was detected in Gambia in travellers from Lebanon in mid-May, suggesting community transmission in Lebanon several weeks before this variant was detected in the country. Prospective sequencing in June/July 2021 showed that the Delta variant had completely replaced the Alpha variant in under 6 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgi Merhi
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, School of Arts and Sciences, Byblos, Lebanon
| | | | | | - Jad Koweyes
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, School of Arts and Sciences, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Thanh Le-Viet
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Hala Abou Naja
- Ministry of Public Health, Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Museum Square, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mona Al Buaini
- National Influenza Centre Research Laboratory, Rafic Hariri University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sophie J Prosolek
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | | | - Martin Lott
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Tatiana Tohmeh
- Ministry of Public Health, Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Museum Square, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Bassam Badran
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
| | - Orla J Jupp
- University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Rachael Stanley
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | | | - Mark A Webber
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK.,University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | | | - Nada Ghosn
- Ministry of Public Health, Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Museum Square, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mark Pallen
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK.,University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | | | - Andrew J Page
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Sima Tokajian
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, School of Arts and Sciences, Byblos, Lebanon
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8
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Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2022. [PMID: 36726685 DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/tsf78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrissa Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
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9
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Nabwera HM, Espinoza JL, Worwui A, Betts M, Okoi C, Sesay AK, Bancroft R, Agbla SC, Jarju S, Bradbury RS, Colley M, Jallow AT, Liu J, Houpt ER, Prentice AM, Antonio M, Bernstein RM, Dupont CL, Kwambana-Adams BA. Interactions between fecal gut microbiome, enteric pathogens, and energy regulating hormones among acutely malnourished rural Gambian children. EBioMedicine 2021; 73:103644. [PMID: 34695658 PMCID: PMC8550991 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The specific roles that gut microbiota, known pathogens, and host energy-regulating hormones play in the pathogenesis of non-edematous severe acute malnutrition (marasmus SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) during outpatient nutritional rehabilitation are yet to be explored. METHODS We applied an ensemble of sample-specific (intra- and inter-modality) association networks to gain deeper insights into the pathogenesis of acute malnutrition and its severity among children under 5 years of age in rural Gambia, where marasmus SAM is most prevalent. FINDINGS Children with marasmus SAM have distinct microbiome characteristics and biologically-relevant multimodal biomarkers not observed among children with moderate acute malnutrition. Marasmus SAM was characterized by lower microbial richness and biomass, significant enrichments in Enterobacteriaceae, altered interactions between specific Enterobacteriaceae and key energy regulating hormones and their receptors. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that marasmus SAM is characterized by the collapse of a complex system with nested interactions and key associations between the gut microbiome, enteric pathogens, and energy regulating hormones. Further exploration of these systems will help inform innovative preventive and therapeutic interventions. FUNDING The work was supported by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC; MC-A760-5QX00) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) under the MRC/DFID Concordat agreement; Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP 1066932) and the National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), UK. This network analysis was supported by NIH U54GH009824 [CLD] and NSF OCE-1558453 [CLD].
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M Nabwera
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
| | - Josh L Espinoza
- J. Craig Venture Institute, 4120 Capricorn Ln, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Archibald Worwui
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Modupeh Betts
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Mucosal Pathogens, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Okoi
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Rowan Bancroft
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Schadrac C Agbla
- Department of Health Data Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | | | - Mariama Colley
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Amadou T Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Jie Liu
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Eric R Houpt
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Andrew M Prentice
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia
| | - Martin Antonio
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, Banjul, PO Box 273, The Gambia; Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Robin M Bernstein
- Growth and Development Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States of America
| | | | - Brenda A Kwambana-Adams
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Mucosal Pathogens, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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10
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Wilkinson E, Giovanetti M, Tegally H, San JE, Lessells R, Cuadros D, Martin DP, Rasmussen DA, Zekri ARN, Sangare AK, Ouedraogo AS, Sesay AK, Priscilla A, Kemi AS, Olubusuyi AM, Oluwapelumi AOO, Hammami A, Amuri AA, Sayed A, Ouma AEO, Elargoubi A, Ajayi NA, Victoria AF, Kazeem A, George A, Trotter AJ, Yahaya AA, Keita AK, Diallo A, Kone A, Souissi A, Chtourou A, Gutierrez AV, Page AJ, Vinze A, Iranzadeh A, Lambisia A, Ismail A, Rosemary A, Sylverken A, Femi A, Ibrahimi A, Marycelin B, Oderinde BS, Bolajoko B, Dhaala B, Herring BL, Njanpop-Lafourcade BM, Kleinhans B, McInnis B, Tegomoh B, Brook C, Pratt CB, Scheepers C, Akoua-Koffi CG, Agoti CN, Peyrefitte C, Daubenberger C, Morang’a CM, Nokes DJ, Amoako DG, Bugembe DL, Park D, Baker D, Doolabh D, Ssemwanga D, Tshiabuila D, Bassirou D, Amuzu DSY, Goedhals D, Omuoyo DO, Maruapula D, Foster-Nyarko E, Lusamaki EK, Simulundu E, Ong’era EM, Ngabana EN, Shumba E, El Fahime E, Lokilo E, Mukantwari E, Philomena E, Belarbi E, Simon-Loriere E, Anoh EA, Leendertz F, Ajili F, Enoch FO, Wasfi F, Abdelmoula F, Mosha FS, Takawira FT, Derrar F, Bouzid F, Onikepe F, Adeola F, Muyembe FM, Tanser F, Dratibi FA, Mbunsu GK, Thilliez G, Kay GL, Githinji G, van Zyl G, Awandare GA, Schubert G, Maphalala GP, Ranaivoson HC, Lemriss H, Anise H, Abe H, Karray HH, Nansumba H, Elgahzaly HA, Gumbo H, Smeti I, Ayed IB, Odia I, Ben Boubaker IB, Gaaloul I, Gazy I, Mudau I, Ssewanyana I, Konstantinus I, Lekana-Douk JB, Makangara JCC, Tamfum JJM, Heraud JM, Shaffer JG, Giandhari J, Li J, Yasuda J, Mends JQ, Kiconco J, Morobe JM, Gyapong JO, Okolie JC, Kayiwa JT, Edwards JA, Gyamfi J, Farah J, Nakaseegu J, Ngoi JM, Namulondo J, Andeko JC, Lutwama JJ, O’Grady J, Siddle K, Adeyemi KT, Tumedi KA, Said KM, Hae-Young K, Duedu KO, Belyamani L, Fki-Berrajah L, Singh L, Martins LDO, Tyers L, Ramuth M, Mastouri M, Aouni M, el Hefnawi M, Matsheka MI, Kebabonye M, Diop M, Turki M, Paye M, Nyaga MM, Mareka M, Damaris MM, Mburu MW, Mpina M, Nwando M, Owusu M, Wiley MR, Youtchou MT, Ayekaba MO, Abouelhoda M, Seadawy MG, Khalifa MK, Sekhele M, Ouadghiri M, Diagne MM, Mwenda M, Allam M, Phan MVT, Abid N, Touil N, Rujeni N, Kharrat N, Ismael N, Dia N, Mabunda N, Hsiao NY, Silochi NB, Nsenga N, Gumede N, Mulder N, Ndodo N, Razanajatovo NH, Iguosadolo N, Judith O, Kingsley OC, Sylvanus O, Peter O, Femi O, Idowu O, Testimony O, Chukwuma OE, Ogah OE, Onwuamah CK, Cyril O, Faye O, Tomori O, Ondoa P, Combe P, Semanda P, Oluniyi PE, Arnaldo P, Quashie PK, Dussart P, Bester PA, Mbala PK, Ayivor-Djanie R, Njouom R, Phillips RO, Gorman R, Kingsley RA, Carr RAA, El Kabbaj S, Gargouri S, Masmoudi S, Sankhe S, Lawal SB, Kassim S, Trabelsi S, Metha S, Kammoun S, Lemriss S, Agwa SHA, Calvignac-Spencer S, Schaffner SF, Doumbia S, Mandanda SM, Aryeetey S, Ahmed SS, Elhamoumi S, Andriamandimby S, Tope S, Lekana-Douki S, Prosolek S, Ouangraoua S, Mundeke SA, Rudder S, Panji S, Pillay S, Engelbrecht S, Nabadda S, Behillil S, Budiaki SL, van der Werf S, Mashe T, Aanniz T, Mohale T, Le-Viet T, Schindler T, Anyaneji UJ, Chinedu U, Ramphal U, Jessica U, George U, Fonseca V, Enouf V, Gorova V, Roshdy WH, Ampofo WK, Preiser W, Choga WT, Bediako Y, Naidoo Y, Butera Y, de Laurent ZR, Sall AA, Rebai A, von Gottberg A, Kouriba B, Williamson C, Bridges DJ, Chikwe I, Bhiman JN, Mine M, Cotten M, Moyo S, Gaseitsiwe S, Saasa N, Sabeti PC, Kaleebu P, Tebeje YK, Tessema SK, Happi C, Nkengasong J, de Oliveira T. A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa. Science 2021; 374:423-431. [PMID: 34672751 PMCID: PMC7613315 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj4336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduan Wilkinson
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, 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
| | - Marta Giovanetti
- Laboratorio de Flavivirus, Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Houriiyah Tegally
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - James E. San
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Richard Lessells
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Diego Cuadros
- Department of Geography and GIS, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Darren P. Martin
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - David A. Rasmussen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Abdel-Rahman N. Zekri
- Cancer Biology Department, Virology and Immunology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo 11796, Egypt
| | - Abdoul K. Sangare
- Centre d’Infectiologie Charles Mérieux-Mali (CICM-Mali), Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoul-Salam Ouedraogo
- Bacteriology and Virology Department Souro Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Abechi Priscilla
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Adedotun-Sulaiman Kemi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | - Adeyemi O. O. Oluwapelumi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Adnène Hammami
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of sFax, University of sFax, sFax, Tunisia
| | - Adrienne A. Amuri
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Ahmad Sayed
- Genomics Research Program, Children’s Cancer Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed E. O. Ouma
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Aida Elargoubi
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Nnennaya A. Ajayi
- Internal Medicine Department, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Ajogbasile F. Victoria
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Akano Kazeem
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Ali A. Yahaya
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville Congo
| | - Alpha K. Keita
- Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université de Conakry, Conakry, Guinea
- TransVIHMI, Montpellier University/IRD/INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Amadou Diallo
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Amadou Kone
- Mali-University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), Bamako, Mali
| | - Amal Souissi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Amel Chtourou
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of sFax, University of sFax, sFax, Tunisia
| | | | | | - Anika Vinze
- Broad Insitute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Arash Iranzadeh
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology Division, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Arnold Lambisia
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Arshad Ismail
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Audu Rosemary
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Ayoade Femi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Azeddine Ibrahimi
- Medical Biotechnology Laboratory, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Baba Marycelin
- Department of Immunology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1414, Maiduguri, Nigeria
| | - Bamidele S. Oderinde
- Department of Immunology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1414, Maiduguri, Nigeria
| | - Bankole Bolajoko
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Bronwyn Kleinhans
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Bronwyn McInnis
- Cancer Biology Department, Virology and Immunology Unit, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo 11796, Egypt
| | - Bryan Tegomoh
- The Biotechnology Center of the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon and CDC Foundation, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Cara Brook
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Cathrine Scheepers
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- Antibody Immunity Research Unit, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Chantal G. Akoua-Koffi
- CHU de Bouaké, Laboratoire/Unité de Diagnostic des Virus des Fièvres Hémorragiques et Virus Émergents, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Charles N. Agoti
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
- School of Public Health, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | | | | | - Collins M. Morang’a
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - D. James Nokes
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
- School of Life Sciences and Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Daniel G. Amoako
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Danny Park
- Broad Insitute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Deelan Doolabh
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Deogratius Ssemwanga
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Derek Tshiabuila
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Diarra Bassirou
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Dominic S. Y. Amuzu
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dominique Goedhals
- Division of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | | | - Dorcas Maruapula
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
| | | | - Eddy K. Lusamaki
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Edgar Simulundu
- University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Disease Control, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | - Edith N. Ngabana
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Edwin Shumba
- African Society for Laboratory Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Elmostafa El Fahime
- Functional Genomic Platform/National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST), Rabat, Morocco
| | - Emmanuel Lokilo
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Eromon Philomena
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Etilé A. Anoh
- CHU de Bouaké, Laboratoire/Unité de Diagnostic des Virus des Fièvres Hémorragiques et Virus Émergents, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
| | | | - Faida Ajili
- Research Unit of Autoimmune Diseases UR17DN02, Military Hospital of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fakayode O. Enoch
- Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Fares Wasfi
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Fatma Abdelmoula
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | | | | | - Fawzi Derrar
- National Influenza Centre, Viral Respiratory Laboratory, Algiers, Algeria
| | - Feriel Bouzid
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Folarin Onikepe
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Fowotade Adeola
- Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Francisca M. Muyembe
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Frank Tanser
- Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Gabriel K. Mbunsu
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | | | - George Githinji
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Gert van Zyl
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gordon A. Awandare
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Gugu P. Maphalala
- Institution and Department, Ministry Of Health, COVID-19 Testing Laboratory, Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini
| | | | - Hajar Lemriss
- Laboratory of Health Sciences and Technologies, High Institute of Health Sciences, Hassan 1st University, Settat, Morocco
| | - Happi Anise
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Haruka Abe
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hela H. Karray
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of sFax, University of sFax, sFax, Tunisia
| | | | - Hesham A. Elgahzaly
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hlanai Gumbo
- National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Ibtihel Smeti
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ikhlas B. Ayed
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | | | - Ilhem Boutiba Ben Boubaker
- Charles Nicolle Hospital, Laboratory of Microbiology, National Influenza Center, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Imed Gaaloul
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Inbal Gazy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Innocent Mudau
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Jean B. Lekana-Douk
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Jean-Claude C. Makangara
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Jacques M. Tamfum
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Jean-Michel Heraud
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jeffrey G. Shaffer
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jennifer Giandhari
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Jingjing Li
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jiro Yasuda
- Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Joana Q. Mends
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | | | - John M. Morobe
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - John O. Gyapong
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Johnson C. Okolie
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - John T. Kayiwa
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Johnathan A. Edwards
- Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jones Gyamfi
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | | | | | - Joyce M. Ngoi
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Julia C. Andeko
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | | | | | | | - Kayode T. Adeyemi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Kefentse A. Tumedi
- Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Khadija M. Said
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Kim Hae-Young
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Kwabena O. Duedu
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Lahcen Belyamani
- Medical Biotechnology Laboratory, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Lamia Fki-Berrajah
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of sFax, University of sFax, sFax, Tunisia
| | - Lavanya Singh
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | | | - Lynn Tyers
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Magalutcheemee Ramuth
- Virology/Molecular Biology Department, Central Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius
| | - Maha Mastouri
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Mahjoub Aouni
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Mahmoud el Hefnawi
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo Egypt
| | | | | | - Mamadou Diop
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Manel Turki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Marietou Paye
- Broad Insitute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martin M. Nyaga
- Next Generation Sequencing Unit and Division of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | | | - Matoke-Muhia Damaris
- Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Maureen W. Mburu
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme/KEMRI-CGMR-C, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Maximillian Mpina
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones de Baney, Baney, Equatorial Guinea
- Ifakara Health Institute, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Mba Nwando
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Michael Owusu
- Department of Medical Diagnostics, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Mirabeau T. Youtchou
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
| | | | - Mohamed Abouelhoda
- Systems and Biomedical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed G. Seadawy
- Biological Prevention Department, Main Chemical Laboratories, Egypt Army, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Mooko Sekhele
- National Reference Laboratory Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
| | - Mouna Ouadghiri
- Medical Biotechnology Laboratory, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | | | - Mushal Allam
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - My V. T. Phan
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Nabil Abid
- Laboratory of Transmissible Diseases and Biological Active Substances (LR99ES27), Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Department of Biotechnology, High Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, BP-66, 2020 Ariana-Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Touil
- Genomic Center for Human Pathologies (GENOPATH), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Nadine Rujeni
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
- School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Najla Kharrat
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nalia Ismael
- Instituto Nacional de Saude (INS), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Ndongo Dia
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Nedio Mabunda
- Instituto Nacional de Saude (INS), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Nei-yuan Hsiao
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Ngoy Nsenga
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville Congo
| | - Nicksy Gumede
- World Health Organization, Africa Region, Brazzaville Congo
| | - Nicola Mulder
- Computational Biology Division, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, IDM, CIDRI Africa Wellcome Trust Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Nosamiefan Iguosadolo
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Oguzie Judith
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Ojide C. Kingsley
- Virology Laboratory, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Oladiji Femi
- Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Olawoye Idowu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Olumade Testimony
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Omoruyi E. Chukwuma
- Medical Microbiology and Parasitology Department, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Onwe E. Ogah
- Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria
| | - Chika K. Onwuamah
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
- Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Ousmane Faye
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Oyewale Tomori
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Pascale Ondoa
- African Society for Laboratory Medicine, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Paul E. Oluniyi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Paulo Arnaldo
- Instituto Nacional de Saude (INS), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Peter K. Quashie
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Philippe Dussart
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Phillip A. Bester
- Division of Virology, National Health Laboratory Service and University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Placide K. Mbala
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Reuben Ayivor-Djanie
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Richard Njouom
- Virology Service, Centre Pasteur of Cameroun, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Richard O. Phillips
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Richmond Gorman
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Rosina A. A. Carr
- UHAS COVID-19 Testing and Research Centre, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Saâd El Kabbaj
- Laboratoire de Recherche et d’Analyses Médicales de la Gendarmerie Royale, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Saba Gargouri
- CHU Habib Bourguiba, Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine of sFax, University of sFax, sFax, Tunisia
| | - Saber Masmoudi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Safietou Sankhe
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Salako B. Lawal
- The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Samar Kassim
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sameh Trabelsi
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Lab, LR16SP02, National Center of Pharmacovigilance, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Samar Metha
- Broad Insitute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sami Kammoun
- CHU Hedi Chaker Sfax, Service de Pneumologie, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sanaâ Lemriss
- Laboratoire de Recherche et d’Analyses Médicales de la Gendarmerie Royale, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Sara H. A. Agwa
- Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams Research institute (MASRI), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | - Seydou Doumbia
- Mali-University Clinical Research Center (UCRC), Bamako, Mali
| | - Sheila M. Mandanda
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | | | | | | | - Sobajo Tope
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Sonia Lekana-Douki
- Centre Interdisciplinaires de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | | | - Soumeya Ouangraoua
- Centre MURAZ, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- National Institute of Public Health of Burkina Faso (INSP/BF), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Steve A. Mundeke
- Pathogen Sequencing Lab, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Université de Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | | | - Sumir Panji
- Computational Biology Division, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, IDM, CIDRI Africa Wellcome Trust Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sureshnee Pillay
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Susan Engelbrecht
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Susan Nabadda
- Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sylvie Behillil
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, University of Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Sylvie van der Werf
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, University of Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | | | - Tarik Aanniz
- Medical Biotechnology Laboratory, Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Thabo Mohale
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Tobias Schindler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones de Baney, Baney, Equatorial Guinea
| | - Ugochukwu J. Anyaneji
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Ugwu Chinedu
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Upasana Ramphal
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- Sub-Saharan African Network For TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE), Durban, South Africa
| | - Uwanibe Jessica
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Uwem George
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Vagner Fonseca
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Laboratório de Genética Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Coordenação Geral de Laboratórios de Saúde Pública/Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde, Ministério da Saúde, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Vincent Enouf
- National Reference Center for Respiratory Viruses, Molecular Genetics of RNA Viruses, UMR 3569 CNRS, University of Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Vivianne Gorova
- World Health Organization, WHO Lesotho, Maseru, Lesotho
- Med24 Medical Centre, Ruwa, Zimbabwe
| | | | - William K. Ampofo
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Wolfgang Preiser
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Tygerberg, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Wonderful T. Choga
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Yaw Bediako
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yeshnee Naidoo
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Yvan Butera
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Ministry of Health, Kigali, Rwanda
- Center for Human Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Amadou A. Sall
- Virology Department, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Ahmed Rebai
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Anne von Gottberg
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Bourema Kouriba
- Bacteriology and Virology Department Souro Sanou University Hospital, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Carolyn Williamson
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Jinal N. Bhiman
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Madisa Mine
- National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Matthew Cotten
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sikhulile Moyo
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simani Gaseitsiwe
- Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership and Botswana Harvard HIV Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ngonda Saasa
- University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Disease Control, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | | | - Yenew K. Tebeje
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Sofonias K. Tessema
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Christian Happi
- African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - John Nkengasong
- Institute of Pathogen Genomics, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tulio de Oliveira
- KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, 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
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11
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Cleary B, Hay JA, Blumenstiel B, Harden M, Cipicchio M, Bezney J, Simonton B, Hong D, Senghore M, Sesay AK, Gabriel S, Regev A, Mina MJ. Using viral load and epidemic dynamics to optimize pooled testing in resource-constrained settings. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabf1568. [PMID: 33619080 PMCID: PMC8099195 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abf1568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Virological testing is central to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) containment, but many settings face severe limitations on testing. Group testing offers a way to increase throughput by testing pools of combined samples; however, most proposed designs have not yet addressed key concerns over sensitivity loss and implementation feasibility. Here, we combined a mathematical model of epidemic spread and empirically derived viral kinetics for SARS-CoV-2 infections to identify pooling designs that are robust to changes in prevalence and to ratify sensitivity losses against the time course of individual infections. We show that prevalence can be accurately estimated across a broad range, from 0.02 to 20%, using only a few dozen pooled tests and using up to 400 times fewer tests than would be needed for individual identification. We then exhaustively evaluated the ability of different pooling designs to maximize the number of detected infections under various resource constraints, finding that simple pooling designs can identify up to 20 times as many true positives as individual testing with a given budget. Crucially, we confirmed that our theoretical results can be translated into practice using pooled human nasopharyngeal specimens by accurately estimating a 1% prevalence among 2304 samples using only 48 tests and through pooled sample identification in a panel of 960 samples. Our results show that accounting for variation in sampled viral loads provides a nuanced picture of how pooling affects sensitivity to detect infections. Using simple, practical group testing designs can vastly increase surveillance capabilities in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Cleary
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - James A Hay
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Maegan Harden
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Jon Bezney
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brooke Simonton
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - David Hong
- Wharton Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Madikay Senghore
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Stacey Gabriel
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Michael J Mina
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA
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12
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Cleary B, Hay JA, Blumenstiel B, Harden M, Cipicchio M, Bezney J, Simonton B, Hong D, Senghore M, Sesay AK, Gabriel S, Regev A, Mina MJ. Using viral load and epidemic dynamics to optimize pooled testing in resource constrained settings. medRxiv 2021:2020.05.01.20086801. [PMID: 32511487 PMCID: PMC7273255 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.01.20086801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Extensive virological testing is central to SARS-CoV-2 containment, but many settings face severe limitations on testing. Group testing offers a way to increase throughput by testing pools of combined samples; however, most proposed designs have not yet addressed key concerns over sensitivity loss and implementation feasibility. Here, we combine a mathematical model of epidemic spread and empirically derived viral kinetics for SARS-CoV-2 infections to identify pooling designs that are robust to changes in prevalence, and to ratify losses in sensitivity against the time course of individual infections. Using this framework, we show that prevalence can be accurately estimated across four orders of magnitude using only a few dozen pooled tests without the need for individual identification. We then exhaustively evaluate the ability of different pooling designs to maximize the number of detected infections under various resource constraints, finding that simple pooling designs can identify up to 20 times as many positives compared to individual testing with a given budget. We illustrate how pooling affects sensitivity and overall detection capacity during an epidemic and on each day post infection, finding that sensitivity loss is mainly attributed to individuals sampled at the end of infection when detection for public health containment has minimal benefit. Crucially, we confirm that our theoretical results can be accurately translated into practice using pooled human nasopharyngeal specimens. Our results show that accounting for variation in sampled viral loads provides a nuanced picture of how pooling affects sensitivity to detect epidemiologically relevant infections. Using simple, practical group testing designs can vastly increase surveillance capabilities in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Cleary
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - James A. Hay
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health
| | | | - Maegan Harden
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | | | - Jon Bezney
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | | | - David Hong
- Wharton Statistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Madikay Senghore
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abdul K. Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Stacey Gabriel
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Aviv Regev
- Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Current address: Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael J. Mina
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
- Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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13
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Tsolenyanu E, Bancroft RE, Sesay AK, Senghore M, Fiawoo M, Akolly D, Godonou MA, Tsogbale N, Tigossou SD, Tientcheu L, Dagnra A, Atakouma Y, Sylvanus Ndow P, Worwui A, Landoh DE, Mwenda JM, Biey JN, Ntsama B, Kwambana-Adams BA, Antonio M. Etiology of Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis Pre- and Post-PCV13 Introduction Among Children Under 5 Years Old in Lomé, Togo. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 69:S97-S104. [PMID: 31505623 PMCID: PMC6761369 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pediatric bacterial meningitis (PBM) causes severe morbidity and mortality within Togo. Thus, as a member of the World Health Organization coordinated Invasive Bacterial Vaccine Preventable Diseases network, Togo conducts surveillance targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), and Haemophilus influenzae, at a sentinel hospital within the capital city, Lomé, in the southernmost Maritime region. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid was collected from children <5 years with suspected PBM admitted to the Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital. Phenotypic detection of pneumococcus, meningococcus, and H. influenzae was confirmed through microbiological techniques. Samples were shipped to the Regional Reference Laboratory to corroborate results by species-specific polymerase chain reaction. Results Overall, 3644 suspected PBM cases were reported, and 98 cases (2.7%: 98/3644) were confirmed bacterial meningitis. Pneumococcus was responsible for most infections (67.3%: 66/98), followed by H. influenzae (23.5%: 23/98) and meningococcus (9.2%: 9/98). The number of pneumococcal meningitis cases decreased by 88.1% (52/59) postvaccine introduction with 59 cases from July 2010 to June 2014 and 7 cases from July 2014 to June 2016. However, 5 cases caused by nonvaccine serotypes were observed. Fewer PBM cases caused by vaccine serotypes were observed in infants <1 year compared to children 2–5 years. Conclusions Routine surveillance showed that PCV13 vaccination is effective in preventing pneumococcal meningitis among children <5 years of age in the Maritime region. This complements the MenAfriVac vaccination against meningococcal serogroup A to prevent meningitis outbreaks in the northern region of Togo. Continued surveillance is vital for estimating the prevalence of PBM, determining vaccine impact, and anticipating epidemics in Togo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enyonam Tsolenyanu
- Department of Paediatrics, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
- Correspondence: E. Tsolenyanu, Department of Paediatrics Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center, National Coordinator for New Vaccines Surveillance, Lomé, Togo ()
| | - Rowan E Bancroft
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Madikay Senghore
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Mawouto Fiawoo
- Department of Paediatrics, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Djatougbe Akolly
- Department of Paediatrics, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Mawussi A Godonou
- Department of Microbiology, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Novissi Tsogbale
- Department of Microbiology, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Segla D Tigossou
- Department of Microbiology, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Leopold Tientcheu
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Anoumou Dagnra
- Department of Microbiology, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Yawo Atakouma
- Department of Paediatrics, Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital, Lomé, Togo
| | - Peter Sylvanus Ndow
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Archibald Worwui
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | | | - Jason M Mwenda
- WHO Regional Office for Africa WHO/AFRO, Republic of Congo, Brazzaville
| | - Joseph N Biey
- WHO Intercountry Support Team West Africa, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Bernard Ntsama
- WHO Intercountry Support Team West Africa, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Brenda A Kwambana-Adams
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
| | - Martin Antonio
- World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul
- Microbiology and Infection Unit, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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14
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Rohlwink UK, Figaji A, Wilkinson KA, Horswell S, Sesay AK, Deffur A, Enslin N, Solomons R, Van Toorn R, Eley B, Levin M, Wilkinson RJ, Lai RPJ. Tuberculous meningitis in children is characterized by compartmentalized immune responses and neural excitotoxicity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3767. [PMID: 31434901 PMCID: PMC6704154 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11783-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of TB with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Here we conduct RNA-sequencing on whole blood as well as on ventricular and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of pediatric patients treated for TBM. Differential transcript expression of TBM cases are compared with healthy controls in whole blood and with non-TB cerebral infection controls in CSF. Whole blood RNA-Seq analysis demonstrates a distinct immune response pattern in TBM, with significant increase in both canonical and non-canonical inflammasome activation and decrease in T-cell activation. In ventricular CSF, a significant enrichment associated with neuronal excitotoxicity and cerebral damage is detected in TBM. Finally, compartmental comparison in TBM indicates that the ventricular profile represents brain injury whereas the lumbar profile represents protein translation and cytokine signaling. Together, transcriptomic analysis shows that disease processes differ between the periphery and the central nervous system, and within brain compartments. Tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) is a severe form of TB with limited treatment options. Here, the authors perform RNA sequencing on whole blood and on ventricular and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from pediatric patients treated for TBM to characterize the immune response and tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula K Rohlwink
- Neuroscience Institute, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anthony Figaji
- Neuroscience Institute, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Katalin A Wilkinson
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Abdul K Sesay
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Genomics Core, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Serrekunda, The Gambia
| | - Armin Deffur
- Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nico Enslin
- Neuroscience Institute, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Regan Solomons
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Ronald Van Toorn
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Brian Eley
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michael Levin
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Robert J Wilkinson
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Rachel P J Lai
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK. .,Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK.
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15
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Singhania A, Graham CM, Gabryšová L, Moreira-Teixeira L, Stavropoulos E, Pitt JM, Chakravarty P, Warnatsch A, Branchett WJ, Conejero L, Lin JW, Davidson S, Wilson MS, Bancroft G, Langhorne J, Frickel E, Sesay AK, Priestnall SL, Herbert E, Ioannou M, Wang Q, Humphreys IR, Dodd J, Openshaw PJM, Mayer-Barber KD, Jankovic D, Sher A, Lloyd CM, Baldwin N, Chaussabel D, Papayannopoulos V, Wack A, Banchereau JF, Pascual VM, O'Garra A. Transcriptional profiling unveils type I and II interferon networks in blood and tissues across diseases. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2887. [PMID: 31253760 PMCID: PMC6599044 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10601-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how immune challenges elicit different responses is critical for diagnosing and deciphering immune regulation. Using a modular strategy to interpret the complex transcriptional host response in mouse models of infection and inflammation, we show a breadth of immune responses in the lung. Lung immune signatures are dominated by either IFN-γ and IFN-inducible, IL-17-induced neutrophil- or allergy-associated gene expression. Type I IFN and IFN-γ-inducible, but not IL-17- or allergy-associated signatures, are preserved in the blood. While IL-17-associated genes identified in lung are detected in blood, the allergy signature is only detectable in blood CD4+ effector cells. Type I IFN-inducible genes are abrogated in the absence of IFN-γ signaling and decrease in the absence of IFNAR signaling, both independently contributing to the regulation of granulocyte responses and pathology during Toxoplasma gondii infection. Our framework provides an ideal tool for comparative analyses of transcriptional signatures contributing to protection or pathogenesis in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akul Singhania
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Christine M Graham
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Leona Gabryšová
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Lúcia Moreira-Teixeira
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Evangelos Stavropoulos
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jonathan M Pitt
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Annika Warnatsch
- Antimicrobial Defence Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - William J Branchett
- Inflammation, Repair and Development Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Laura Conejero
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jing-Wen Lin
- Malaria Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Sophia Davidson
- Immunoregulation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Mark S Wilson
- Helminth Immunology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gregory Bancroft
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jean Langhorne
- Malaria Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Eva Frickel
- Host-Toxoplasma Interaction Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Simon L Priestnall
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Eleanor Herbert
- Department of Pathobiology & Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, AL9 7TA, UK
| | - Marianna Ioannou
- Antimicrobial Defence Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Qian Wang
- Antimicrobial Defence Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Ian R Humphreys
- Division of Infection and Immunity/Systems Immunity University Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Jonathan Dodd
- Respiratory Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Peter J M Openshaw
- Respiratory Infection Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Katrin D Mayer-Barber
- Inflammation and Innate Immunity Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Dragana Jankovic
- Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Alan Sher
- Immunobiology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Clare M Lloyd
- Inflammation, Repair and Development Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Nicole Baldwin
- Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Dallas, TX, 75204, USA
| | - Damien Chaussabel
- Systems Biology and Immunology Department, Sidra Medicine, PO BOX 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Andreas Wack
- Immunoregulation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | | | - Virginia M Pascual
- Drukier Institute for Children's Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Anne O'Garra
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Infection, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK.
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16
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Kwambana-Adams BA, Amaza RC, Okoi C, Rabiu M, Worwui A, Foster-Nyarko E, Ebruke B, Sesay AK, Senghore M, Umar AS, Usman R, Atiku A, Abdullahi G, Buhari Y, Sani R, Bako HU, Abdullahi B, Yarima AI, Sikiru B, Moses AO, Popoola MO, Ekeng E, Olayinka A, Mba N, Kankia A, Mamadu IN, Okudo I, Stephen M, Ronveaux O, Busuttil J, Mwenda JM, Abdulaziz M, Gummi SA, Adedeji A, Bita A, Omar L, Djingarey MH, Alemu W, D'Alessandro U, Ihekweazu C, Antonio M. Meningococcus serogroup C clonal complex ST-10217 outbreak in Zamfara State, Northern Nigeria. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14194. [PMID: 30242204 PMCID: PMC6155016 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32475-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
After the successful roll out of MenAfriVac, Nigeria has experienced sequential meningitis outbreaks attributed to meningococcus serogroup C (NmC). Zamfara State in North-western Nigeria recently was at the epicentre of the largest NmC outbreak in the 21st Century with 7,140 suspected meningitis cases and 553 deaths reported between December 2016 and May 2017. The overall attack rate was 155 per 100,000 population and children 5–14 years accounted for 47% (3,369/7,140) of suspected cases. The case fatality rate (CFR) among children 5–9 years was 10%, double that reported among adults ≥ 30 years (5%). NmC and pneumococcus accounted for 94% (172/184) and 5% (9/184) of the laboratory-confirmed cases, respectively. The sequenced NmC belonged to the ST-10217 clonal complex (CC). All serotyped pneumococci were PCV10 serotypes. The emergence of NmC ST-10217 CC outbreaks threatens the public health gains made by MenAfriVac, which calls for an urgent strategic action against meningitis outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda A Kwambana-Adams
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | - Catherine Okoi
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Murtala Rabiu
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Archibald Worwui
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ebenezer Foster-Nyarko
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Bernard Ebruke
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Madikay Senghore
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | - Rabi Usman
- Zamfara State Ministry of Health, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Adamu Atiku
- Zamfara State Ministry of Health, Gusau, Nigeria
| | | | - Yahaya Buhari
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Rabiu Sani
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Husaini U Bako
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Bashir Abdullahi
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | - Alliyu I Yarima
- Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria
| | | | | | | | - Eme Ekeng
- Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Nwando Mba
- Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Adamu Kankia
- World Health Organization, Country Office Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ibrahim N Mamadu
- World Health Organization, Country Office Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Ifeanyi Okudo
- World Health Organization, Country Office Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Mary Stephen
- World Health Organization, Country Office Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Jason Busuttil
- UK-Public Health Rapid Support Team, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK
| | - Jason M Mwenda
- World Health Organization, Regional office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Mohammed Abdulaziz
- Africa Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | - Andre Bita
- World Health Organization Inter-Country Support Teams for West Africa, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Linda Omar
- World Health Organization, Regional office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | | | - Umberto D'Alessandro
- Disease Control and Elimination Theme, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | - Martin Antonio
- World Health Organization, Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia. .,Division of Microbiology & Immunity, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
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17
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Blaas L, Pucci F, Messal HA, Andersson AB, Ruiz EJ, Gerling M, Douagi I, Spencer-Dene B, Musch A, Mitter R, Bhaw L, Stone R, Bornhorst D, Sesay AK, Jonkers J, Stamp G, Malanchi I, Toftgård R, Behrens A. Lgr6 labels a rare population of mammary gland progenitor cells that are able to originate luminal mammary tumours. Nat Cell Biol 2016; 18:1346-1356. [PMID: 27798604 PMCID: PMC5812439 DOI: 10.1038/ncb3434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The mammary gland is composed of a complex cellular hierarchy with unusual postnatal plasticity. The identities of stem/progenitor cell populations, as well as tumour-initiating cells that give rise to breast cancer, are incompletely understood. Here we show that Lgr6 marks rare populations of cells in both basal and luminal mammary gland compartments in mice. Lineage tracing analysis showed that Lgr6+ cells are unipotent progenitors, which expand clonally during puberty but diminish in adulthood. In pregnancy or following stimulation with ovarian hormones, adult Lgr6+ cells regained proliferative potency and their progeny formed alveoli over repeated pregnancies. Oncogenic mutations in Lgr6+ cells resulted in expansion of luminal cells, culminating in mammary gland tumours. Conversely, depletion of Lgr6+ cells in the MMTV-PyMT model of mammary tumorigenesis significantly impaired tumour growth. Thus, Lgr6 marks mammary gland progenitor cells that can initiate tumours, and cells of luminal breast tumours required for efficient tumour maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leander Blaas
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Fabio Pucci
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Hendrik A. Messal
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Agneta B. Andersson
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - E. Josue Ruiz
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Marco Gerling
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Iyadh Douagi
- Department of Medicine, Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Bradley Spencer-Dene
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Alexandra Musch
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Richard Mitter
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Leena Bhaw
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Richard Stone
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Dorothee Bornhorst
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Abdul K. Sesay
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Division of Molecular Pathology and Cancer, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gordon Stamp
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Ilaria Malanchi
- Tumour-Stroma Interactions in Cancer Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
| | - Rune Toftgård
- Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Novum, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Axel Behrens
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT,UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
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18
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Hunt LE, Noyvert B, Bhaw-Rosun L, Sesay AK, Paternoster L, Nohr EA, Davey Smith G, Tommerup N, Sørensen TIA, Elgar G. Complete re-sequencing of a 2Mb topological domain encompassing the FTO/IRXB genes identifies a novel obesity-associated region upstream of IRX5. Genome Med 2015; 7:126. [PMID: 26642925 PMCID: PMC4671217 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-015-0250-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Association studies have identified a number of loci that contribute to an increased body mass index (BMI), the strongest of which is in the first intron of the FTO gene on human chromosome 16q12.2. However, this region is both non-coding and under strong linkage disequilibrium, making it recalcitrant to functional interpretation. Furthermore, the FTO gene is located within a complex cis-regulatory landscape defined by a topologically associated domain that includes the IRXB gene cluster, a trio of developmental regulators. Consequently, at least three genes in this interval have been implicated in the aetiology of obesity. METHODS Here, we sequence a 2 Mb region encompassing the FTO, RPGRIP1L and IRXB cluster genes in 284 individuals from a well-characterised study group of Danish men containing extremely overweight young adults and controls. We further replicate our findings both in an expanded male cohort and an independent female study group. Finally, we compare our variant data with a previous study describing IRX3 and FTO interactions in this region. RESULTS We obtain deep coverage across the entire region, allowing accurate and unequivocal determination of almost every single nucleotide polymorphism and short insertion/deletion. As well as confirming previous findings across the interval, we identify a further novel age-dependent association upstream of IRX5 that imposes a similar burden on BMI to the FTO locus. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chromatin architectures play a role in regulating gene expression levels across topological domains while our targeted sequence approach represents a widely applicable methodology for high-resolution analysis of regional variation across candidate genomic loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian E Hunt
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Boris Noyvert
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Leena Bhaw-Rosun
- Genomics Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Genomics Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Lavinia Paternoster
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ellen A Nohr
- Research Unit for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Niels Tommerup
- Willhelm Johannsen Centre for Functional Genome Research, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, The Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Thorkild I A Sørensen
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,The Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research, Section on Metabolic genetics, The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.,Institute of Preventive Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospitals, The Capital Region, DK2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Greg Elgar
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK.
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19
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Collart C, Owens NDL, Bhaw-Rosun L, Cooper B, De Domenico E, Patrushev I, Sesay AK, Smith JN, Smith JC, Gilchrist MJ. High-resolution analysis of gene activity during the Xenopus mid-blastula transition. Development 2014; 141:1927-39. [PMID: 24757007 PMCID: PMC3994770 DOI: 10.1242/dev.102012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Xenopus mid-blastula transition (MBT) marks the onset of large-scale zygotic transcription, as well as an increase in cell cycle length and a loss of synchronous cell divisions. Little is known about what triggers the activation of transcription or how newly expressed genes interact with each other. Here, we use high-resolution expression profiling to identify three waves of gene activity: a post-fertilisation wave involving polyadenylation of maternal transcripts; a broad wave of zygotic transcription detectable as early as the seventh cleavage and extending beyond the MBT at the twelfth cleavage; and a shorter post-MBT wave of transcription that becomes apparent as development proceeds. Our studies have also allowed us to define a set of maternal mRNAs that are deadenylated shortly after fertilisation, and are likely to be degraded thereafter. Experimental analysis indicates that the polyadenylation of maternal transcripts is necessary for the establishment of proper levels of zygotic transcription at the MBT, and that genes activated in the second wave of expression, including Brachyury and Mixer, contribute to the regulation of genes expressed in the third. Together, our high-resolution time series and experimental studies have yielded a deeper understanding of the temporal organisation of gene regulatory networks in the early Xenopus embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Collart
- Division of Systems Biology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK
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20
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Seifertova E, Zimmerman LB, Gilchrist MJ, Macha J, Kubickova S, Cernohorska H, Zarsky V, Owens NDL, Sesay AK, Tlapakova T, Krylov V. Efficient high-throughput sequencing of a laser microdissected chromosome arm. BMC Genomics 2013; 14:357. [PMID: 23714049 PMCID: PMC3701504 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-14-357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genomic sequence assemblies are key tools for a broad range of gene function and evolutionary studies. The diploid amphibian Xenopus tropicalis plays a pivotal role in these fields due to its combination of experimental flexibility, diploid genome, and early-branching tetrapod taxonomic position, having diverged from the amniote lineage ~360 million years ago. A genome assembly and a genetic linkage map have recently been made available. Unfortunately, large gaps in the linkage map attenuate long-range integrity of the genome assembly. RESULTS We laser dissected the short arm of X. tropicalis chromosome 7 for next generation sequencing and computational mapping to the reference genome. This arm is of particular interest as it encodes the sex determination locus, but its genetic map contains large gaps which undermine available genome assemblies. Whole genome amplification of 15 laser-microdissected 7p arms followed by next generation sequencing yielded ~35 million reads, over four million of which uniquely mapped to the X. tropicalis genome. Our analysis placed more than 200 previously unmapped scaffolds on the analyzed chromosome arm, providing valuable low-resolution physical map information for de novo genome assembly. CONCLUSION We present a new approach for improving and validating genetic maps and sequence assemblies. Whole genome amplification of 15 microdissected chromosome arms provided sufficient high-quality material for localizing previously unmapped scaffolds and genes as well as recognizing mislocalized scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Seifertova
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Vinicna 7, Prague 2, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Lyle B Zimmerman
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Michael J Gilchrist
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Jaroslav Macha
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Vinicna 7, Prague 2, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Svatava Kubickova
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, Brno, 621 00, Czech Republic
| | | | - Vojtech Zarsky
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Vinicna 7, Prague 2, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Nick DL Owens
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - Tereza Tlapakova
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Vinicna 7, Prague 2, 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Krylov
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Vinicna 7, Prague 2, 128 44, Czech Republic
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21
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Sato S, Sesay AK, Holder AA. The unique structure of the apicoplast genome of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61778. [PMID: 23613931 PMCID: PMC3627918 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The apicoplast, a non-photosynthetic plastid of apicomplexan species, has an extremely reduced but highly conserved genome. Here, the apicoplast genome of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi (Pcc) isolate CB was characterized. Although the set of genes in the genome is identical, the copy number of some tRNA genes differs between Pcc and other Plasmodium species because the Pcc DNA has only one rRNA/tRNA gene cluster, which is normally duplicated in other species. The location of the duplicated trnR(ACG) and trnM implies that one of the duplicated clusters in the ancestral molecule has been lost due to an intramolecular recombination event. The Pcc DNA occurs in two isoforms with an internal inversion between them. The presence of a unique variant in the duplicated trnT gene suggests that the two isoforms are interconvertible. This is the first report of the complete nucleotide sequence of a Plasmodium apicoplast DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeharu Sato
- Division of Parasitology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom.
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22
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Gómez-Gaviro MV, Scott CE, Sesay AK, Matheu A, Booth S, Galichet C, Lovell-Badge R. Betacellulin promotes cell proliferation in the neural stem cell niche and stimulates neurogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:1317-22. [PMID: 22232668 PMCID: PMC3268286 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1016199109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in specialized niches in the adult mammalian brain, including the subventricular zone and the dentate gyrus, which act to control NSC behavior. Among other cell types within these niches, NSCs are found in close proximity to blood vessels. We carried out an analysis of the interaction between endothelial cells and NSCs, and show that betacellulin (BTC), a member of the EGF family and one of several signaling molecules made by the former, induces NSC proliferation and prevents spontaneous differentiation in culture. When infused into the lateral ventricle, BTC induces expansion of NSCs and neuroblasts, and promotes neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb and dentate gyrus, whereas specific blocking antibodies reduce the number of stem/progenitor cells. BTC-null mice are less able to regenerate neuroblast numbers compared with WT littermates following depletion of proliferating cells using cytosine-β-d-arabinofuranoside. BTC acts via both the EGF receptor, located on NSCs, and ErbB4, located on neuroblasts, with the latter explaining why its effects are distinct from those of EGF itself. Our results suggest that BTC could be a good candidate to aid regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte E. Scott
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Abdul K. Sesay
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Ander Matheu
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Booth
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Christophe Galichet
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Robin Lovell-Badge
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
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23
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Le Tissier PR, Carmignac DF, Lilley S, Sesay AK, Phelps CJ, Houston P, Mathers K, Magoulas C, Ogden D, Robinson ICAF. Hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) deficiency: targeted ablation of GHRH neurons in mice using a viral ion channel transgene. Mol Endocrinol 2005; 19:1251-62. [PMID: 15661833 DOI: 10.1210/me.2004-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal and clinical models of GHRH excess suggest that GHRH provides an important trophic drive to pituitary somatotrophs. We have adopted a novel approach to silence or ablate GHRH neurons, using a modified H37A variant of the influenza virus M2 protein ((H37A)M2). In mammalian cells, (H37A)M2 forms a high conductance monovalent cation channel that can be blocked by the antiviral drug rimantadine. Transgenic mice with (H37A)M2 expression targeted to GHRH neurons developed postweaning dwarfism with hypothalamic GHRH transcripts detectable by RT-PCR but not by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry, suggesting that expression of (H37A)M2 had silenced or ablated virtually all the GHRH cells. GHRH-M2 mice showed marked anterior pituitary hypoplasia with GH deficiency, although GH cells were still present. GHRH-M2 mice were also deficient in prolactin but not TSH. Acute iv injections of GHRH in GHRH-M2 mice elicited a significant GH response, whereas injections of GHRP-6 did not. Twice daily injections of GHRH (100 microg/d) for 7 d in GHRH-M2 mice doubled their pituitary GH but not PRL contents. Rimantadine treatment failed to restore growth or pituitary GH contents. Our results show the importance of GHRH neurons for GH and prolactin production and normal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Le Tissier
- Division of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
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24
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McGuinness L, Magoulas C, Sesay AK, Mathers K, Carmignac D, Manneville JB, Christian H, Phillips JA, Robinson ICAF. Autosomal dominant growth hormone deficiency disrupts secretory vesicles in vitro and in vivo in transgenic mice. Endocrinology 2003; 144:720-31. [PMID: 12538635 DOI: 10.1210/en.2002-220847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Autosomal dominant GH deficiency type II (IGHDII) is often associated with mutations in the human GH gene (GH1) that give rise to products lacking exon-3 ((Deltaexon3)hGH). In the heterozygous state, these act as dominant negative mutations that prevent the release of human pituitary GH (hGH). To determine the mechanisms of these dominant negative effects, we used a combination of transgenic and morphological approaches in both in vitro and in vivo models. Rat GC cell lines were generated expressing either wild-type GH1 (WT-hGH-GC) or a genomic GH1 sequence containing a G->A transition at the donor splice site of IVS3 ((Deltaexon3)hGH-GC). WT-hGH-GC cells grew normally and produced equivalent amounts of human and rGH packaged in dense-cored secretory vesicles (SVs). In contrast, (Deltaexon3)hGH-GC cells showed few SVs but accumulated secretory product in amorphous cytoplasmic aggregates. They produced much less rGH and grew more slowly than WT-hGH-GC cells. When cotransfected with an enhanced green fluorescent protein construct (GH-eGFP), which copackages with GH in SVs, WT-hGH-GC cells showed normal electron microscopy morphology and SV movements, tracked with total internal reflectance fluorescence microscopy. In contrast, coexpression of (Deltaexon3)hGH with GH-eGFP abolished the vesicular targeting of GH-eGFP, which instead accumulated in static aggregates. Transgenic mice expressing (Deltaexon3)hGH in somatotrophs showed an IGHD-II phenotype with mild to severe pituitary hypoplasia and dwarfism, evident at weaning in the most severely affected lines. Hypothalamic GHRH expression was up-regulated and somatostatin expression reduced in (Deltaexon3)hGH transgenic mice, consistent with their profound GHD. Few SVs were detectable in the residual pituitary somatotrophs in (Deltaexon3)hGH transgenic mice, and these cells showed grossly abnormal morphology. A low copy number transgenic line showed a mild effect relatively specific for GH, whereas two severely affected lines with higher transgene copy numbers showed early onset, widespread pituitary damage, macrophage invasion, and multiple hormone deficiencies. These new in vitro and in vivo models shed new light on the cellular mechanisms involved in IGHDII, as well as its phenotypic consequences in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay McGuinness
- National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
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25
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Magoulas C, McGuinness L, Balthasar N, Carmignac DF, Sesay AK, Mathers KE, Christian H, Candeil L, Bonnefont X, Mollard P, Robinson IC. A secreted fluorescent reporter targeted to pituitary growth hormone cells in transgenic mice. Endocrinology 2000; 141:4681-9. [PMID: 11108283 DOI: 10.1210/endo.141.12.7828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In stable transfection experiments in the GH-producing GC cell line, a construct containing the entire signal peptide and the first 22 residues of human GH linked in frame with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), produced brightly fluorescent cells with a granular distribution of eGFP. This eGFP reporter was then inserted into a 40-kb cosmid transgene containing the locus control region for the hGH gene and used to generate transgenic mice. Anterior pituitaries from these GH-eGFP transgenic mice showed numerous clusters of strongly fluorescent cells, which were also immunopositive for GH, and which could be isolated and enriched by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Confocal scanning microscopy of pituitary GH cells from GH-eGFP transgenic mice showed a markedly granular appearance of fluorescence. Immunogold electron microscopy and RIA confirmed that the eGFP product was packaged in the dense cored secretory vesicles of somatotrophs and was secreted in parallel with GH in response to stimulation by GRF. Using eGFP fluorescence, it was possible to identify clusters of GH cells in acute pituitary slices and to observe spontaneous transient rises in their intracellular Ca2+ concentrations after loading with Ca2+ sensitive dyes. This transgenic approach opens the way to direct visualization of spontaneous and secretagogue-induced secretory mechanisms in identified GH cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Magoulas
- Division of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Medical Research Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom
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26
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Mackrill JJ, Sesay AK, Lai FA. Autoimmune antigen megalin displays similarities with skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor/Ca2+ release channel. Int J Mol Med 1999; 3:625-32. [PMID: 10341294 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.3.6.625] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Ryanodine receptors are a family of intracellular Ca2+ release channel proteins, which exist as tetrameric complexes of large ( approximately 5000 amino acid residue) polypeptide monomers. As well as controlling striated muscle contraction and neurotransmitter release, these channel proteins have been implicated in several pathological states. In order to characterise ryanodine receptors in various tissues, mouse monoclonal antibodies were developed against the type 1 isoform isolated from skeletal muscle. Several of these antibodies recognise ryanodine receptor in skeletal muscle, as well as high molecular weight (k-HMW) protein in kidney microsomes. Like the ryanodine receptor, the k-HMW protein binds 45Ca2+ and sediments as a large complex upon sucrose density-gradient centrifugation. In contrast, the k-HMW protein does not bind ryanodine and is glycosylated. Furthermore, monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies generated against purified k-HMW protein do not recognise skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor. Characterisation of a cDNA clone encoding part of the k-HMW protein revealed that it is likely to be the rabbit homologue of human megalin, an autoimmune antigen in membranous glomerulonephritis. Potential consequences of immunological similarities between ryanodine receptors and megalin are discussed in terms of autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Mackrill
- Division of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1 AA, UK
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Abstract
Moderate non-progressive cognitive impairment is a consistent feature of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), although few central nervous system abnormalities have yet been identified. A model for DMD is provided by the mdx mouse which fails to produce full length dystrophin in muscle and brain. In this study we have compared performances in a hippocampal-dependent spatial learning task, the Morris water maze, in mdx mice and in age-matched normal (C57BL/10) mice. There was no difference in acquisition rates or in retention between the two groups. We also found no difference in the magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) between the two groups, either in the dentate gyrus or in area CA. These experiments demonstrate that neither spatial learning nor hippocampal synaptic plasticity are significantly affected by the lack of full-length dystrophin.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Sesay
- Division of Neurophysiology, National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK
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Sesay AK, Lai FA. Evidence for distinct dystrophin C-terminal transcripts in rabbit brain. Biochem Soc Trans 1996; 24:272S. [PMID: 8736930 DOI: 10.1042/bst024272s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A K Sesay
- Division of Neurophysiology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, England
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29
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Abstract
At fertilization in mammals, the sperm induces a characteristic series of Ca2+ oscillations in the egg which serve as the essential trigger for egg activation and early development of the embryo. It is not known how the sperm initiates this fundamental process, however, nor has any pathway linking sperm-egg membrane-receptor binding with intracellular Ca2+ release been demonstrated. Microinjection of sperm extracts into mammalian eggs elicits Ca2+ oscillations identical to those occurring at fertilization, which suggests that sperm may introduce a Ca2+ oscillation-inducing factor into the egg on gamete membrane fusion. Here we identify a soluble sperm protein that exhibits Ca2+ oscillation-inducing ('oscillogen') activity in eggs. Sperm oscillogen exists as an oligomer with a subunit of M(r) 33K and a specific intracellular localization at the equatorial segment of the sperm head. Cloning of the 33K oscillogen complementary DNA indicates similarity with a hexose phosphate isomerase found in prokaryotes. This sperm-derived oscillogen, termed oscillin, may represent the physiological trigger for development in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Parrington
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, London, UK
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