Ebola Virus Epidemiology, Transmission, and Evolution during Seven Months in Sierra Leone.

ABSTRACT: The 2013-2015 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic is caused by the Makona variant of Ebola virus (EBOV). Early in the epidemic, genome sequencing provided insights into virus evolution and transmission and offered important information for outbreak response. Here, we analyze sequences from 232 patients sampled over 7 months in Sierra Leone, along with 86 previously released genomes from earlier in the epidemic. We confirm sustained human-to-human transmission within Sierra Leone and find no evidence for import or export of EBOV across national borders after its initial introduction. Using high-depth replicate sequencing, we observe both host-to-host transmission and recurrent emergence of intrahost genetic variants. We trace the increasing impact of purifying selection in suppressing the ac

SUBMITTER: Park DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4503805 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature