Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries

A newly emerged coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused severe pneumonia outbreaks in China in December 2019 and has since spread to various countries around the world. To trace the evolution route and probe the transmission dynamics of this virus, we performed phylodynamic analysis of 247 high quality geno...

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Main Authors: Xuemei Yang, Ning Dong, Edward Wai-Chi Chan, Sheng Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1773745
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author Xuemei Yang
Ning Dong
Edward Wai-Chi Chan
Sheng Chen
author_facet Xuemei Yang
Ning Dong
Edward Wai-Chi Chan
Sheng Chen
author_sort Xuemei Yang
collection DOAJ
description A newly emerged coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused severe pneumonia outbreaks in China in December 2019 and has since spread to various countries around the world. To trace the evolution route and probe the transmission dynamics of this virus, we performed phylodynamic analysis of 247 high quality genomic sequences available in the GISAID platform as of 5 March 2020. Among them, four genetic clusters, defined as super-spreaders (SSs), could be identified and were found to be responsible for the major outbreaks that subsequently occurred in various countries. SS1 was widely disseminated in Asia and the US, and mainly responsible for outbreaks in the states of Washington and California as well as South Korea, whereas SS4 contributed to the pandemic in Europe. Using the signature mutations of each SS as markers, we further analysed 1539 genome sequences reported after 29 February 2020 and found that 90% of these genomes belonged to SSs, with SS4 being the most dominant. The relative degree of contribution of each SS to the pandemic in different continents was also depicted. Identification of these super-spreaders greatly facilitates development of new strategies to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
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spelling doaj-art-ca91e4526ea34effbbc839c56f974bf22025-08-20T02:15:52ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512020-01-01911287129910.1080/22221751.2020.1773745Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countriesXuemei Yang0Ning Dong1Edward Wai-Chi Chan2Sheng Chen3Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong KongDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong KongState Key Lab of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong KongDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong KongA newly emerged coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused severe pneumonia outbreaks in China in December 2019 and has since spread to various countries around the world. To trace the evolution route and probe the transmission dynamics of this virus, we performed phylodynamic analysis of 247 high quality genomic sequences available in the GISAID platform as of 5 March 2020. Among them, four genetic clusters, defined as super-spreaders (SSs), could be identified and were found to be responsible for the major outbreaks that subsequently occurred in various countries. SS1 was widely disseminated in Asia and the US, and mainly responsible for outbreaks in the states of Washington and California as well as South Korea, whereas SS4 contributed to the pandemic in Europe. Using the signature mutations of each SS as markers, we further analysed 1539 genome sequences reported after 29 February 2020 and found that 90% of these genomes belonged to SSs, with SS4 being the most dominant. The relative degree of contribution of each SS to the pandemic in different continents was also depicted. Identification of these super-spreaders greatly facilitates development of new strategies to control the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1773745SARS-CoV-2COVID-19transmissionphylodynamic analysissuper-spreader
spellingShingle Xuemei Yang
Ning Dong
Edward Wai-Chi Chan
Sheng Chen
Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
Emerging Microbes and Infections
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
transmission
phylodynamic analysis
super-spreader
title Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
title_full Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
title_fullStr Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
title_full_unstemmed Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
title_short Genetic cluster analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
title_sort genetic cluster analysis of sars cov 2 and the identification of those responsible for the major outbreaks in various countries
topic SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
transmission
phylodynamic analysis
super-spreader
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1773745
work_keys_str_mv AT xuemeiyang geneticclusteranalysisofsarscov2andtheidentificationofthoseresponsibleforthemajoroutbreaksinvariouscountries
AT ningdong geneticclusteranalysisofsarscov2andtheidentificationofthoseresponsibleforthemajoroutbreaksinvariouscountries
AT edwardwaichichan geneticclusteranalysisofsarscov2andtheidentificationofthoseresponsibleforthemajoroutbreaksinvariouscountries
AT shengchen geneticclusteranalysisofsarscov2andtheidentificationofthoseresponsibleforthemajoroutbreaksinvariouscountries