• Medientyp: E-Artikel
  • Titel: Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a university outbreak setting and implications for public health planning
  • Beteiligte: Nickbakhsh, Sema; Hughes, Joseph; Christofidis, Nicolaos; Griffiths, Emily; Shaaban, Sharif; Enright, Jessica; Smollett, Katherine; Nomikou, Kyriaki; Palmalux, Natasha; Tong, Lily; Carmichael, Stephen; Sreenu, Vattipally B.; Orton, Richard; Goldstein, Emily J.; Tomb, Rachael M.; Robson, Samuel C.; Connor, Thomas R.; Loman, Nicholas J.; Golubchik, Tanya; Nunez, Rocio T. Martinez; Bonsall, David; Rambaut, Andrew; Snell, Luke B.; Livett, Rich; [...]
  • Erschienen: Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2022
  • Erschienen in: Scientific Reports, 12 (2022) 1
  • Sprache: Englisch
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15661-1
  • ISSN: 2045-2322
  • Entstehung:
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  • Beschreibung: AbstractWhole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has occurred at an unprecedented scale, and can be exploited for characterising outbreak risks at the fine-scale needed to inform control strategies. One setting at continued risk of COVID-19 outbreaks are higher education institutions, associated with student movements at the start of term, close living conditions within residential halls, and high social contact rates. Here we analysed SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences in combination with epidemiological data to investigate a large cluster of student cases associated with University of Glasgow accommodation in autumn 2020, Scotland. We identified 519 student cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with this large cluster through contact tracing data, with 30% sequencing coverage for further analysis. We estimated at least 11 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the student population, with four comprising the majority of detected cases and consistent with separate outbreaks. These four outbreaks were curtailed within a week following implementation of control measures. The impact of student infections on the local community was short-term despite an underlying increase in community infections. Our study highlights the need for context-specific information in the formation of public health policy for higher educational settings.
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