New Tool Allows Easy, Effective Disease Tracking

New study used the novel IDseq tool to confirm and sequence the whole genome of the country's first case of COVID-19. The findings of the study are published in the journal GigaScience. This tool can distinguish pathogens before there is an available complete genome sequence; thus, it can be utilized for current infectious disease outbreaks and also for emerging ones. This will substantially help in preventing future pandemics.

COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the importance of global infectious disease monitoring. Discovering the cause of an infectious disease outbreak is challenging, particularly if it stems from a previously unknown pathogen.

"IDseq can be considered as an early warning radar for emerging or novel infectious agents," stated Joe DeRis, who contributed to the identification of the SARS coronavirus and who initiated the IDseq tool. It is designed to facilitate the global health community to leverage the ever-decreasing cost of sequencing for tracking and recognizing infectious disease in essentially any sample.

"At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, researchers in Cambodia used IDseq to help confirm and sequence the whole genome of the country's first case of coronavirus in a matter of days, and in California, we're providing critical SARS-CoV-2 genomic data to public health officials to inform contact tracing and intervention strategies."

Source-Medindia