Investigation of intra-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission using nanopore whole-genome sequencing.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) are being exposed to infection both at work and in their communities. Determining where HCWs might have been infected is challenging based on epidemiological data alone. At Akershus University Hospital, Norway, several clusters of possible intra-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission were identified based on routine contact tracing.

Aim

To determine whether clusters of suspected intra-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission could be resolved by combining whole genome sequencing (WGS) of SARS-CoV-2 with contact tracing data.

Methods

Epidemiological data were collected during routine contact tracing of polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive HCWs. Possible outbreaks were identified as wards with two

SUBMITTER: Lovestad AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7908852 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature