TY - JOUR
T1 - Strengthening laboratory surveillance of viral pathogens
T2 - Experiences and lessons learned building next-generation sequencing capacity in Ghana
AU - Marine, Rachel L.
AU - Ntim, Nana Afia Asante
AU - Castro, Christina J.
AU - Attiku, Keren O.
AU - Pratt, Deborah
AU - Duker, Ewurabena
AU - Agbosu, Esinam
AU - Ng, Terry Fei Fan
AU - Gatei, Wangeci
AU - Obodai, Evangeline
AU - Odoom, John Kofi
AU - Walker, Chastity L.
AU - Rota, Paul A.
AU - Oberste, M. Steven
AU - Ampofo, William Kwabena
AU - Balajee, S. Arunmozhi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of applying next-generation sequencing (NGS) in medium-resource reference laboratories in Africa to enhance global disease surveillance. Methods: A training program was developed to support implementation of NGS at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana. The program was divided into two training stages, first at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, followed by on-site training at NMIMR for a larger cohort of scientists. Results: Self-assessment scores for topics covered during the NGS training program were higher post-training relative to pre-training. During the NGS Training II session at NMIMR, six enterovirus isolates from acute flaccid paralysis cases in Ghana were successfully sequenced by trainees, including two echovirus 6, two echovirus 11 and one echovirus 13. Another genome was an uncommon type (EV-B84), which has not been reported in Africa since its initial discovery from a Côte d'Ivoire specimen in 2003. Conclusions: The success at NMIMR provides an example of how to approach transferring of NGS methods to international laboratories. There is great opportunity for collaboration between institutes that have genomics expertise to ensure effectiveness and long-term success of global NGS capacity building programs.
AB - Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of applying next-generation sequencing (NGS) in medium-resource reference laboratories in Africa to enhance global disease surveillance. Methods: A training program was developed to support implementation of NGS at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana. The program was divided into two training stages, first at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, followed by on-site training at NMIMR for a larger cohort of scientists. Results: Self-assessment scores for topics covered during the NGS training program were higher post-training relative to pre-training. During the NGS Training II session at NMIMR, six enterovirus isolates from acute flaccid paralysis cases in Ghana were successfully sequenced by trainees, including two echovirus 6, two echovirus 11 and one echovirus 13. Another genome was an uncommon type (EV-B84), which has not been reported in Africa since its initial discovery from a Côte d'Ivoire specimen in 2003. Conclusions: The success at NMIMR provides an example of how to approach transferring of NGS methods to international laboratories. There is great opportunity for collaboration between institutes that have genomics expertise to ensure effectiveness and long-term success of global NGS capacity building programs.
KW - Enterovirus
KW - Molecular surveillance
KW - Next-generation sequencing
KW - West Africa
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062685667&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijid.2019.02.008
DO - 10.1016/j.ijid.2019.02.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 30776545
AN - SCOPUS:85062685667
SN - 1201-9712
VL - 81
SP - 231
EP - 234
JO - International Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - International Journal of Infectious Diseases
ER -