Viral genome sequencing to decipher in-hospital SARS-CoV-2 transmission events. Elisabeth Esser et al. Sci Rep 2024 3 (1) 5768 (Posted Mar 11, 2024 8AM)

https://phgkb.cdc.gov/PHGKB/specificPHGKB.action?topic=Infectious%20diseases&query=home From the abstract: "The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the need to better define in-hospital transmissions, a need that extends to all other common infectious diseases encountered in clinical settings. To evaluate how whole viral genome sequencing can contribute to deciphering nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmission 926 SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes from 622 staff members and patients were collected. Bioinformatically defined transmission clusters inferred from viral genome sequencing were compared to those inferred from interview-based contact tracing. Clustering analysis of SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences can reveal cryptic transmission events missed by classical, interview-based contact tracing, helping to decipher in-hospital transmissions. These results, in line with other studies, advocate for viral genome sequencing as a pathogen transmission surveillance tool in hospitals. "