Nanopore Sequencing as a Rapidly Deployable Ebola Outbreak Tool

Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Feb;22(2):331-4. doi: 10.3201/eid2202.151796.

Abstract

Rapid sequencing of RNA/DNA from pathogen samples obtained during disease outbreaks provides critical scientific and public health information. However, challenges exist for exporting samples to laboratories or establishing conventional sequencers in remote outbreak regions. We successfully used a novel, pocket-sized nanopore sequencer at a field diagnostic laboratory in Liberia during the current Ebola virus outbreak.

Keywords: DNA; Ebola hemorrhagic fever; Ebola virus; Ebola virus disease; Ebolavirus; Liberia; West Africa; disease outbreaks; high-throughput nucleotide sequencing; molecular diagnostic techniques; nanopore sequencing; viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Ebolavirus / genetics*
  • Genome, Viral
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / epidemiology
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Nanopores*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*