Whole-genome Sequencing for Tracing the Transmission Link between Two ARD Outbreaks Caused by a Novel HAdV Serotype 7 Variant, China.
From December 2012 to February 2013, two outbreaks of acute respiratory disease caused by HAdV-7 were reported in China. We investigated possible transmission links between these two seemingly unrelated outbreaks by integration of epidemiological and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. WGS analyses showed that the HAdV-7 isolates from the two outbreaks were genetically indistinguishable; however, a 12 bp deletion in the virus-associated RNA gene distinguished the outbreak isolates from other HAdV-7 isolates. Outbreak HAdV-7 isolates demonstrated increased viral replication compared to non-outbreak associated HAdV-7 isolate. Epidemiological data supported that the first outbreak was caused by introduction of the novel HAdV-7 virus by an infected recruit upon arrival at the training base. Nosocomial transmission by close contacts was the most likely source leading to onset of the second HAdV-7 outbreak, establishing the apparent transmission link between the outbreaks. Our findings imply that in-hospital contact investigations should be encouraged to reduce or interrupt further spread of infectious agents when treating outbreak cases, and WGS can provide useful information guiding infection-control interventions.
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Shaofu
S
Qiu
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Peng
P
Li
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Hongbo
H
Liu
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Yong
Y
Wang
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Nan
N
Liu
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Chengyi
C
Li
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Shenlong
S
Li
The No. 477 Hospital of PLA, Xiangyang 441003, China.
Ming
M
Li
Air Force Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100076, China.
Zhengjie
Z
Jiang
Air Force Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100076, China.
Huandong
H
Sun
The No. 477 Hospital of PLA, Xiangyang 441003, China.
Ying
Y
Li
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Jing
J
Xie
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Chaojie
C
Yang
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Jian
J
Wang
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Hao
H
Li
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Shengjie
S
Yi
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Zhihao
Z
Wu
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Leili
L
Jia
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Ligui
L
Wang
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Rongzhang
R
Hao
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Yansong
Y
Sun
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Liuyu
L
Huang
Health Department of General Logistics Department, PLA, 22 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100842, China.
Hui
H
Ma
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Zhengquan
Z
Yuan
Institute of Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
Hongbin
H
Song
D000208:Acute Disease; D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D065288:Serogroup