TY - JOUR
T1 - Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a university outbreak setting and implications for public health planning
AU - Nickbakhsh, Sema
AU - Hughes, Joseph
AU - Christofidis, Nicolaos
AU - Griffiths, Emily
AU - Shaaban, Sharif
AU - Enright, Jessica
AU - Smollett, Katherine
AU - Nomikou, Kyriaki
AU - Palmalux, Natasha
AU - Tong, Lily
AU - Carmichael, Stephen
AU - Sreenu, Vattipally B.
AU - Orton, Richard
AU - Goldstein, Emily J.
AU - Tomb, Rachael M.
AU - The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium
AU - Templeton, Kate
AU - Gunson, Rory N.
AU - da Silva Filipe, Ana
AU - Milosevic, Catriona
AU - Thomson, Emma
AU - Robertson, David L.
AU - Holden, Matthew
AU - Illingworth, Christopher J. R.
AU - Smith-Palmer, Alison
AU - McHugh, Martin Patrick
N1 - Funding: The CVR authors are supported by the Medical Research Council [MC_UU_12014/12 and MC_UU_12018/12]. COG-UK is supported by funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) part of UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) [Grant code: MC_PC_19027], and Genome Research Limited, operating as the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
PY - 2022/7/19
Y1 - 2022/7/19
N2 - Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has occurred at an unprecedented scale, and can be exploited for characterising outbreak risks at the fine-scale needed to inform control strategies. One setting at continued risk of COVID-19 outbreaks are higher education institutions, associated with student movements at the start of term, close living conditions within residential halls, and high social contact rates. Here we analysed SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences in combination with epidemiological data to investigate a large cluster of student cases associated with University of Glasgow accommodation in autumn 2020, Scotland. We identified 519 student cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with this large cluster through contact tracing data, with 30% sequencing coverage for further analysis. We estimated at least 11 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the student population, with four comprising the majority of detected cases and consistent with separate outbreaks. These four outbreaks were curtailed within a week following implementation of control measures. The impact of student infections on the local community was short-term despite an underlying increase in community infections. Our study highlights the need for context-specific information in the formation of public health policy for higher educational settings.
AB - Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has occurred at an unprecedented scale, and can be exploited for characterising outbreak risks at the fine-scale needed to inform control strategies. One setting at continued risk of COVID-19 outbreaks are higher education institutions, associated with student movements at the start of term, close living conditions within residential halls, and high social contact rates. Here we analysed SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences in combination with epidemiological data to investigate a large cluster of student cases associated with University of Glasgow accommodation in autumn 2020, Scotland. We identified 519 student cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with this large cluster through contact tracing data, with 30% sequencing coverage for further analysis. We estimated at least 11 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the student population, with four comprising the majority of detected cases and consistent with separate outbreaks. These four outbreaks were curtailed within a week following implementation of control measures. The impact of student infections on the local community was short-term despite an underlying increase in community infections. Our study highlights the need for context-specific information in the formation of public health policy for higher educational settings.
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-022-15661-1
DO - 10.1038/s41598-022-15661-1
M3 - Article
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 12
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
M1 - 11735
ER -
