Abstract
BackgroundThere is a global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Information on viral genomics is crucial for understanding global dispersion and for providing insight into viral pathogenicity and transmission. Here, we characterized the SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from five travelers who returned to Taiwan from the United States of America (USA) between March and April 2020.MethodsHaplotype network analysis was performed using genome-wide single-nucleotide variations to trace potential infection routes. To determine the genetic variations and evolutionary trajectory of the isolates, the genomes of isolates were compared to those of global virus strains from GISAID. Pharyngeal specimens were confirmed to be SARS-CoV-2-positive by RT-PCR. Direct whole-genome sequencing was performed, and viral assemblies were subsequently uploaded to GISAID. Comparative genome sequence and single-nucleotide variation analyses were performed.ResultsThe D614G mutation was identified in imported cases, which separated into two clusters related to viruses originally detected in the USA. Our findings highlight the risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants through air travel and the need for continued genomic tracing for the epidemiological investigation and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using viral genomic data.ConclusionsContinuous genomic surveillance is warranted to trace virus circulation and evolution in different global settings during future outbreaks.
Highlights
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans
The number of COVID-19 cases in Taiwan is low compared with other countries, we evaluated five genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 to understand viral evolution
To gain a better understanding of the genomic epidemiology of the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan, we characterized the full genome sequences of five SARS-CoV-2 strains collected from individuals traveling from the United States of America (USA) to Taiwan who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and confirmed to be SARS-CoV-2-positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans. SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was first identified in humans in China in late December 2019 (Wu & McGoogan, 2020). Fewer than 1000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported on the self-governing island of Taiwan (through March 8, 2021), a number that has remained relatively low due to a series of aggressive containment, quarantine, and monitoring measures that have limited local SARS-CoV-2 transmission (Chang, 2020; Chen et al, 2020; Cheng et al, 2020). There is a global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We characterized the SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from five travelers who returned to Taiwan from the United States of America (USA) between March and April 2020. Continuous genomic surveillance is warranted to trace virus circulation and evolution in different global settings during future outbreaks
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
