Genomic Epidemiology of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Minnesota, USA, July 2023–February 2024
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: We recently expanded the viral genomic surveillance program in Minnesota, USA, to include human respiratory syncytial virus. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 575 specimens collected at Minnesota healthcare facilities during July 2023-February 2024. Subgroups A and B differed in their genomic landscapes, and we identified 23 clusters of genetically identical genomes.
Source: Emerging infectious diseases
Authors: Daniel Evans, Henry Kunerth, Erica Mumm, Sarah Namugenyi, Matthew Plumb, Sarah Bistodeau, Scott A. Cunningham, Bryan Schmitt, Karen Martin, Katherine Como-Sabetti, Ruth Lynfield, Xiong Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Awards: 2019 EPIDEMIOLOGY AND LABORATORY CAPACITY FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (ELC), MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PATHOGEN GENOMICS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE - THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (MDH) IS APPLYING TO BE PART OF THE PATHOGEN GENOMICS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (PGCOE) NETWORK. MDH IS APPLYING FOR THE MANDATORY CORE AND RESPONSE PORTION, AND OPTIONAL EDUCATION PGCOE LEAD PORTION OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED MOLECULAR DETECTION (AMD) AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES OVER THE YEARS ESTABLISHED A COMPREHENSIVE FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INFECTIOUS PATHOGEN GENOMIC SURVEILLANCE. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS SHOCKWAVE REVEALED THE URGENT NEED TO FURTHER ADVANCE AMD INFRASTRUCTURE AND ORGANICALLY INTEGRATE GENOME DATA INTO ROUTINE PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY PRACTICE. IN ADDITION, THE PANDEMIC AMPLIFIED THE LONG-EXISTING DISPARITIES: HEALTH INEQUALITY IN RURAL AREA AND MINORITY POPULATION; ZOONOTIC DISEASE SURGE ROOTED FROM CLIMATE CHANGE; FOOD SAFETY AND INSECURITY DUE TO ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND PANDEMIC-DRIVEN PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. THE PROJECTS OF OUR PGCOE PROPOSAL, WHICH IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS, ARE INTENDED TO WORK TOWARDS THESE ISSUES. MDH’S PRIMARY ACADEMIC PARTNERS ARE THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND THE MAYO CLINIC, WHERE WE HAVE DEVELOPED PARTNERSHIPS WITH A TEAM OF WORLD-CLASS SCIENTISTS WHO WILL COLLABORATE WITH MDH TO CREATE AND APPLY NOVEL GENOMIC AND BIOINFORMATIC TOOLS TO MONITOR AND RESPOND TO A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS. THE DIVERSE PROJECTS PRESENTED IN THIS APPLICATION SPAN FROM NEW ASSAY/WORKFLOW DEVELOPMENT TO RESPIRATORY PATHOGEN BURDEN IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, TO ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEILLANCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PATHOGENS, TO EARLY SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE TO MINIMIZE THE THREAT OF FOODBORNE DISEASE, AND FINALLY, TO UTILIZE EXISTING EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO CULTURE FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH GENOMIC LABORATORIANS AND EPIDEMIOLOGISTS. FUNDING IS REQUESTED FOR MDH STAFF AND SUPPLIES AS WELL AS FOR ACADEMIC COLLABORATORS TO CARRYOUT THE PROPOSED COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS. MDH WILL HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER PGCOE ACTIVITIES WITH AN EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WILL ENSURE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS ARE MET. WITH THE STATE-OF-THE-ART EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, PIONEER SCIENTISTS, LABORATORIANS, EPIDEMIOLOGIST FROM MDH AND ITS LONG-STANDING ACADEMIC COLLABORATORS, AS WELL AS DELIBERATELY PLANNED PROJECTS, MINNESOTA PGCOE WILL HAVE A STATE, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPACT TO THE DAILY PRACTICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE PATHOGEN GENOMIC ERA.
OpenAlex ID: W4403683227