Assessment of the Utility of Whole Genome Sequencing of Measles Virus in the Characterisation of Outbreaks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by measles virus (MeV). Despite the availability of a safe and cost-effective vaccine, measles is one of the world-leading causes of death in young children. Within Europe, there is a target for eliminating endemic measles in 2015, with molecular epidemiology required on 80% of cases for inclusion/exclusion of outbreak transmission chains. Currently, MeV is genotyped on the basis of a 450 nucleotide region of the nucleoprotein gene (N-450) and the hemagglutinin gene (H). However, this is not sufficiently informative for distinguishing endemic from imported MeV. We have developed an amplicon-based method for obtaining whole genome sequences (WGS) using NGS or Sanger methodologies from cell culture isolates or oral fluid specim

SUBMITTER: Penedos AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4646484 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature