Genomic surveillance elucidates Ebola virus origin and transmission during the 2014 outbreak

摘要: In its largest outbreak, Ebola virus disease is spreading through Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. We sequenced 99 genomes from 78 patients in Leone to ~2000× coverage. observed a rapid accumulation of interhost intrahost genetic variation, allowing us characterize patterns viral transmission over the initial weeks epidemic. This West African variant likely diverged central lineages around 2004, crossed Guinea May 2014, has exhibited sustained human-to-human subsequently, with no evidence additional zoonotic sources. Because many mutations alter protein sequences other biologically meaningful targets, they should be monitored for impact on diagnostics, vaccines, therapies critical outbreak response.