Clinical Sequencing Uncovers Origins and Evolution of Lassa Virus.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 26276630.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2015.07.020 and PMC identifier 4537774.
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Abstract
The 2013-2015 West African epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reminds us of how little is known about biosafety level 4 viruses. Like Ebola virus, Lassa virus (LASV) can cause hemorrhagic fever with high case fatality rates. We generated a genomic catalog of almost 200 LASV sequences from clinical and rodent reservoir samples. We show that whereas the 2013-2015 EVD epidemic is fueled by human-to-human transmissions, LASV infections mainly result from reservoir-to-human infections. We elucidated the spread of LASV across West Africa and show that this migration was accompanied by changes in LASV genome abundance, fatality rates, codon adaptation, and translational efficiency. By investigating intrahost evolution, we found that mutations accumulate in epitopes of viral surface proteins, suggesting selection for immune escape. This catalog will serve as a foundation for the development of vaccines and diagnostics. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Medical subject headings
- Genome, Viral
- Lassa Fever
- Lassa virus
- RNA, Viral