TY - JOUR
T1 - Chikungunya viruses containing the A226V mutation detected retrospectively in Cameroon form a new geographical subclade
AU - Agbodzi, Bright
AU - Yousseu, Francine Berlange Sado
AU - Simo, Fredy Brice Nemg
AU - Kumordjie, Selassie
AU - Yeboah, Clara
AU - Mosore, Mba Tihssommah
AU - Bentil, Ronald E.
AU - Prieto, Karla
AU - Colston, Sophie M.
AU - Attram, Naiki
AU - Nimo-Paintsil, Shirley
AU - Fox, Anne T.
AU - Bonney, Joseph H.K.
AU - Ampofo, William
AU - Coatsworth, Heather G.
AU - Dinglasan, Rhoel R.
AU - Wolfe, David M.
AU - Wiley, Michael R.
AU - Demanou, Maurice
AU - Letizia, Andrew G.
N1 - Funding Information:
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the US Government. This work was supported by a grant provided by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch (GEIS), ProMIS ID P0142_19_N3. NA, SNP, DW, and AGL are Military Service member or employees of the US Government. This work was prepared as part of their official duties. Title 17, USC, ?105 provides that copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the US Government. Title 17, USC, ?101 defines a US Government work as a work prepared by a Military Service member or employee of the US Government as part of that person's official duties. Ethics statement: The study protocol NAMRU3.PJT.19.01 was approved by the Naval Medical Research Center Institutional Review Board in compliance with all applicable Federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects. Conceptualization: MRW, MD, AGL. Writing ? original draft: BA. Sampling: FBSY, FBNS, MD. Molecular assays: BA, FBSY, FBNS, SK, CY, M-TM, REB. Whole genome sequencing: BA, FBSY, SK, CY, M-TM, REB, KP. Bioinformatics analysis and data interpretation: BA, HGC, RRD, MRW. Writing ? review and editing: BA, FBSY, FBNS, SK, CY, M-TM, REB, SMC, NA, SN-P, ATF, JHKB, HGC, RRD, MRW, MD, AGL. Coordination: NA, SN-P, ATF, JHKB, WA, DW, MD, AGL. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding Information:
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the US Government. This work was supported by a grant provided by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Branch (GEIS), ProMIS ID P0142_19_N3. NA, SNP, DW, and AGL are Military Service member or employees of the US Government. This work was prepared as part of their official duties. Title 17, USC, §105 provides that copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the US Government. Title 17, USC, §101 defines a US Government work as a work prepared by a Military Service member or employee of the US Government as part of that person's official duties.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus associated with sporadic outbreaks in Cameroon since 2006. Viral whole genomes were generated to analyze the origins of evolutionary lineages, the potential of emergence/re-emergence, and to infer transmission dynamics of recent Cameroon CHIKV outbreak strains. Methods: Samples collected between 2016 and 2019 during CHIKV outbreaks in Cameroon were screened for CHIKV using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), followed by whole genome sequencing of positive samples. Results: Three coding-complete CHIKV genomes were obtained from samples, which belong to an emerging sub-lineage of the East/Central/South African genotype and formed a monophyletic taxon with previous Central African strains. This clade, which we have named the new Central African clade, appears to be evolving at 3.0 × 10−4 nucleotide substitutions per site per year (95% highest posterior density (HPD) interval of 1.94 × 10−4 to 4.1 × 10−4). Notably, mutations in the envelope proteins (E1-A226V, E2-L210Q, and E2-I211T), which are known to enhance CHIKV adaptability and infectious potential in Aedes albopictus, were present in all strains and mapped to established high-density Ae. albopictus populations. Conclusions: These new CHIKV strains constitute a conserved genomic pool of an emerging sub-lineage, reflecting a putative vector host adaptation to Ae. albopictus, which has practically displaced Aedes aegypti from select regions of Cameroon.
AB - Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus associated with sporadic outbreaks in Cameroon since 2006. Viral whole genomes were generated to analyze the origins of evolutionary lineages, the potential of emergence/re-emergence, and to infer transmission dynamics of recent Cameroon CHIKV outbreak strains. Methods: Samples collected between 2016 and 2019 during CHIKV outbreaks in Cameroon were screened for CHIKV using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), followed by whole genome sequencing of positive samples. Results: Three coding-complete CHIKV genomes were obtained from samples, which belong to an emerging sub-lineage of the East/Central/South African genotype and formed a monophyletic taxon with previous Central African strains. This clade, which we have named the new Central African clade, appears to be evolving at 3.0 × 10−4 nucleotide substitutions per site per year (95% highest posterior density (HPD) interval of 1.94 × 10−4 to 4.1 × 10−4). Notably, mutations in the envelope proteins (E1-A226V, E2-L210Q, and E2-I211T), which are known to enhance CHIKV adaptability and infectious potential in Aedes albopictus, were present in all strains and mapped to established high-density Ae. albopictus populations. Conclusions: These new CHIKV strains constitute a conserved genomic pool of an emerging sub-lineage, reflecting a putative vector host adaptation to Ae. albopictus, which has practically displaced Aedes aegypti from select regions of Cameroon.
KW - Aedes albopictus
KW - Cameroon
KW - Chikungunya virus (CHIKV)
KW - E1-A226V
KW - New Central African Clade (nCAC)
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.058
DO - 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.09.058
M3 - Article
C2 - 34592442
AN - SCOPUS:85118120044
SN - 1201-9712
VL - 113
SP - 65
EP - 73
JO - International Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - International Journal of Infectious Diseases
ER -