Biology subjects

Enouf, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Enouf, V..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2020

Introductions and early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in France

Following the emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China in December 2019, specific COVID-19 surveillance was launched in France on January 10, 2020. Two weeks later, the first three imported cases of COVID-19 into Europe were diagnosed in France. We sequenced 97 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from samples collected between January 24 and March 24, 2020 from infected patients in France. Phylogenetic analysis identified several early independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions without local transmission, highlighting the efficacy of the measures taken to prevent virus spread from symptomatic cases. In parallel, our genomic data reveals the later predominant circulation of a major clade in many French regions, and implies local circulation of the virus in undocumented infections prior to the wave of COVID-19 cases. This study emphasizes the importance of continuous and geographically broad genomic sequencing and calls for further efforts with inclusion of asymptomatic infections.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cats and dogs in close contact with a cluster of COVID-19 patients in a veterinary campus

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which originated in Wuhan, China, in 2019, is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now accepted that the wild fauna, probably bats, constitute the initial reservoir of the virus, but little is known about the role pets can play in the spread of the disease in human communities, knowing the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect some domestic animals. We tested 21 domestic pets (9 cats and 12 dogs) living in close contact with their owners (belonging to a veterinary community of 20 students) in which two students tested positive for COVID-19 and several others (n = 11/18) consecutively showed clinical signs (fever, cough, anosmia, etc.) compatible with COVID-19 infection. Although a few pets presented many clinical signs indicative for a coronavirus infection, no animal tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR and no antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detectable in their blood using an immunoprecipitation assay. These original data can serve a better evaluation of the host range of SARS-CoV-2 in natural environment exposure conditions.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Clonal transmission and new mechanism of resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strains isolated in a neonatology unit at Antananarivo, Madagascar, deciphered by whole genome sequence analysis

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been recognized as an emerging multidrug resistant organism in hospital settings due to its resistance to a broad range of antimicrobial agents. These include {beta}-lactams and aminoglycosides, afforded by the existence of intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) is recommended as one of the best treatment choices against S. maltophilia infections; however increasing resistance to SXT has complicated the treatment. From July 2014 to March 2015, individuals and surfaces from a neonatology ward in Antananarivo, Madagascar, were longitudinally followed to assess the transmission of bacteria resistant to antibiotics between neonates, individuals (parents and nurses) and ward environments. Four S. maltophilia strains were successively isolated from a water-tap (N=1), from feces obtained from a newborn (N=1), and nursing staff (N=2). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing were performed on each isolate. Based on coregenome alignment, all strains were identical and belonged to the new sequence type ST-288. They were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, carbapenems and intermediate to levofloxacin. Each isolate carried the aadB, strA, strB and sul1 genes located in a class I integron but variants of the dfrA gene were absent. We assessed by PROVEAN analysis the single nucleotide mutations found in folA, folC and folM genes and only the mutation in folA (A114T:GCC[->]ACC) has an effect on the activity of trimethoprim. Our findings demonstrated the prolonged presence of SXT-resistant S. maltophilia in a clinical setting with consecutive transfers from the environment to a newborn and staff based on the isolation dates. We also hypothesized that single nucleotide mutations in folA could be responsible for trimethoprim resistance.

microbiology↗