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. 2020 Apr;25(13):2000305.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.13.2000305.

Whole genome and phylogenetic analysis of two SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated in Italy in January and February 2020: additional clues on multiple introductions and further circulation in Europe

Paola Stefanelli  1 , Giovanni Faggioni  2 , Alessandra Lo Presti  1 , Stefano Fiore  1   3 , Antonella Marchi  1   3 , Eleonora Benedetti  1   3 , Concetta Fabiani  1   3 , Anna Anselmo  2 , Andrea Ciammaruconi  2 , Antonella Fortunato  2 , Riccardo De Santis  2 , Silvia Fillo  2 , Maria Rosaria Capobianchi  4 , Maria Rita Gismondo  5 , Alessandra Ciervo  1 , Giovanni Rezza  1 , Maria Rita Castrucci  1 , Florigio Lista  2 ; ISS COVID-19 study group  6
Affiliations

Whole genome and phylogenetic analysis of two SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated in Italy in January and February 2020: additional clues on multiple introductions and further circulation in Europe

Paola Stefanelli et al. Euro Surveill. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Whole genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 obtained from two patients, a Chinese tourist visiting Rome and an Italian, were compared with sequences from Europe and elsewhere. In a phylogenetic tree, the Italian patient's sequence clustered with sequences from Germany while the tourist's sequence clustered with other European sequences. Some additional European sequences in the tree segregated outside the two clusters containing the patients' sequences. This suggests multiple SARS-CoV-2 introductions in Europe or virus evolution during circulation.

Keywords: Europe; SARS-CoV-2; Whole genome sequence; phylogenetic analysis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure
Figure
Phylogenetic analysis of two SARS-CoV-2 complete genome sequences retrieved in this study, with available complete sequences from different countriesa (n = 40 genome sequences)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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