Biology subjects

Winnicki, S. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Winnicki, S. M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Real-time Metagenomic Analysis of Undiagnosed Fever Cases Unveils a Yellow Fever Outbreak in Edo State, Nigeria

We report here the use of metagenomic sequencing to identify and characterize yellow fever virus (YFV) in a cluster of undiagnosed febrile patients from Edo State, Nigeria. Yellow fever, an acute mosquito-borne viral haemorrhagic fever, re-emerged in Nigeria in 2017 after decades of relative control.1 Once a major public health concern in the region,2 the prolonged absence of yellow fever has left a gap in knowledge about circulating virus and lowered clinical suspicion for a disease whose spectrum overlaps with endemic infections (e.g., malaria and Lassa fever). In this context, metagenomic sequencing can be a powerful tool for identifying and tracking pathogens causing infectious disease.3\n\nPlasma samples from thirteen epidemiologically-linked patients with unexplained, often fatal, fever were sent from Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital to the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of ...

genomics↗

bioRxiv2017

Genome sequencing reveals Zika virus diversity and spread in the Americas

Despite great attention given to the recent Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in the Americas, much remains unknown about its epidemiology and evolution, in part due to a lack of genomic data. We applied multiple sequencing approaches to generate 110 ZIKV genomes from clinical and mosquito samples from 10 countries and territories, greatly expanding the observed viral genetic diversity from this outbreak. We analyzed the timing and patterns of introductions into distinct geographic regions; our phylogenetic evidence suggests rapid expansion of the outbreak in Brazil and multiple introductions of outbreak strains into Puerto Rico, Honduras, Colombia, other Caribbean islands, and the continental US. We find that ZIKV circulated undetected in multiple regions for many months before the first locally transmitted cases were confirmed, highlighting the importance of viral surveillance. We identify mutations with possible functional implications for ZIKV biology and pathogenesis, as well as those potentially relevant to the effectiveness of diagnostic tests.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2017

Multiple introductions of Zika virus into the United States revealed through genomic epidemiology

Zika virus (ZIKV) is causing an unprecedented epidemic linked to severe congenital syndromes1,2. In July 2016, mosquito-borne ZIKV transmission was first reported in the continental United States and since then, hundreds of locally-acquired infections have been reported in Florida3. To gain insights into the timing, source, and likely route(s) of introduction of ZIKV into the continental United States, we tracked the virus from its first detection in Miami, Florida by direct sequencing of ZIKV genomes from infected patients and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. We show that at least four distinct ZIKV introductions contributed to the outbreak in Florida and that local transmission likely started in the spring of 2016 - several months before its initial detection. By analyzing surveillance and genetic data, we discovered that ZIKV moved among transmission zones in Miami. Our analyses show that most introductions are phylogenetically linked to the Caribbean, a finding corroborated by the high incidence rates and traffic volumes from the region into the Miami area. By comparing mosquito abundance and travel flows, we describe the areas of southern Florida that are especially vulnerable to ZIKV introductions. Our study provides a deeper understanding of how ZIKV initiates and sustains transmission in new regions.

epidemiology↗