Publications (3)16.55 Total impact
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Article: Global distribution of measles genotypes and measles molecular epidemiology.
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ABSTRACT: A critical component of laboratory surveillance for measles is the genetic characterization of circulating wild-type viruses. The World Health Organization (WHO) Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (LabNet), provides for standardized testing in 183 countries and supports genetic characterization of currently circulating strains of measles viruses. The goal of this report is to describe the lessons learned from nearly 20 years of virologic surveillance for measles, to describe the global databases for measles sequences, and to provide regional updates about measles genotypes detected by recent surveillance activities. Virologic surveillance for measles is now well established in all of the WHO regions, and most countries have conducted at least some baseline surveillance. The WHO Global Genotype Database contains >7000 genotype reports, and the Measles Nucleotide Surveillance (MeaNS) contains >4000 entries. This sequence information has proven to be extremely useful for tracking global transmission patterns and for documenting the interruption of transmission in some countries. The future challenges will be to develop quality control programs for molecular methods and to continue to expand virologic surveillance activities in all regions.The Journal of Infectious Diseases 07/2011; 204 Suppl 1:S514-23. · 6.41 Impact Factor -
Article: Phylogenetic analysis of rubella viruses found in Morocco, Uganda, Cote d'Ivoire and South Africa from 2001 to 2007.
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ABSTRACT: Rubella virus (RV) causes a mild disease, but maternal infection early in pregnancy often leads to birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Rubella remains poorly controlled in Africa. To identify RV genotypes found in Africa to help establish a genetic baseline for RV molecular epidemiology. Urine and nasopharyngeal specimens were collected between 2001 and 2004 during measles surveillance in Morocco, Uganda and South Africa, and from two persons in the United States who contracted rubella in Cote d'Ivoire and Uganda in 2004 and 2007, respectively. RV RNA was obtained directly from specimens or from RV-infected cell cultures, amplified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and the resulting DNAs sequenced. Sequences were assigned to genotypes by phylogenetic analysis with RV reference sequences. Nine RV sequences were assigned as follows: 1E in Morocco, 1G in Uganda and Cote d'Ivoire, and 2B in South Africa. Information about RV genotypes circulating in Africa is improved which should aid in control of rubella and CRS in Africa.Journal of Clinical Virology 06/2008; 42(1):86-90. · 3.97 Impact Factor -
Article: Identical genotype B3 sequences from measles patients in 4 countries, 2005.
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ABSTRACT: Surveillance of measles virus detected an epidemiologic link between a refugee from Kenya and a Dutch tourist in New Jersey, USA. Identical genotype B3 sequences from patients with contemporaneous cases in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in November and December 2005 indicate that Kenya was likely to have been the common source of virus.Emerging infectious diseases 12/2006; 12(11):1779-81. · 6.17 Impact Factor
