Identifying likely transmissions in Mycobacterium bovis infected populations of cattle and badgers using the Kolmogorov Forward Equations.

ABSTRACT: Established methods for whole-genome-sequencing (WGS) technology allow for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the pathogen genomes sourced from host samples. The information obtained can be used to track the pathogen's evolution in time and potentially identify 'who-infected-whom' with unprecedented accuracy. Successful methods include 'phylodynamic approaches' that integrate evolutionary and epidemiological data. However, they are typically computationally intensive, require extensive data, and are best applied when there is a strong molecular clock signal and substantial pathogen diversity. To determine how much transmission information can be inferred when pathogen genetic diversity is low and metadata limited, we propose an analytical approach that combines path

SUBMITTER: Rossi G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7738532 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature