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Review
. 2013 Oct;19(5):432-9.
doi: 10.1097/MCC.0b013e3283636b8c.

Selected insights from application of whole-genome sequencing for outbreak investigations

Vien Thi Minh Le  1 , Binh An Diep
Affiliations
Review

Selected insights from application of whole-genome sequencing for outbreak investigations

Vien Thi Minh Le et al. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The advent of high-throughput whole-genome sequencing has the potential to revolutionize the conduct of outbreak investigation. Because of its ultimate resolution power for differentiating between closely related pathogen strains, whole-genome sequencing could augment the traditional epidemiologic investigations of infectious disease outbreaks.

Recent findings: The combination of whole-genome sequencing and intensive epidemiologic analysis provided new insights on the sources and transmission dynamics of large-scale epidemics caused by Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae, nosocomial outbreaks caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium abscessus, community-centered outbreaks caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and natural disaster-associated outbreaks caused by environmentally acquired molds.

Summary: When combined with traditional epidemiologic investigation, whole-genome sequencing has proven useful for elucidating the sources and transmission dynamics of disease outbreaks. Development of a fully automated bioinformatics pipeline for the analysis of whole-genome sequence data is much needed to make this powerful tool more widely accessible.

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References

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