The phylogeographic inference approach aims to connect genomic data with epidemiology to understand the spread and evolution of pathogens using visualization of spatiotemporal reconstructions. Orthohantavirus hantanense (HTNV), the causative agent of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), represents a significant global public health concern. Here, we introduce a localized Nextstrain platform for HTNV, offering a comprehensive resource for facilitating spatiotemporal genomic surveillance and the study of evolutionary dynamics of viral genomes. Nextstrain enables web-based visualization and simple sharing of graphic and numeric data through unique web addresses. The Nextstrain build for HTNV stands out for its user-friendly interface and is readily accessible online at https://nextstrain.org/community/KU-MV/Hantavirus. This study provides valuable insights into genomic surveillance, viral phylodynamics, and the evolutionary history of orthohantaviruses for the development of public health policies against endemic HFRS outbreaks.
Read full abstract