Reconstruction of the origin of the first major SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Germany

Marek Korencak; Sugirthan Sivalingam; Anshupa Sahu; Dietmar Dressen; Axel Schmidt; Fabian Brand; Peter Krawitz; Libor Hart; Anna Maria Eis-Hübinger; Andreas Buness; Hendrik Streeck

Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal (Jan 2022)

Reconstruction of the origin of the first major SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Germany

Marek Korencak,
Sugirthan Sivalingam,
Anshupa Sahu,
Dietmar Dressen,
Axel Schmidt,
Fabian Brand,
Peter Krawitz,
Libor Hart,
Anna Maria Eis-Hübinger,
Andreas Buness,
Hendrik Streeck

Affiliations

Marek Korencak: Institute of Virology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Sugirthan Sivalingam: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany; Core Unit for Bioinformatics Data Analysis, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Anshupa Sahu: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany; Core Unit for Bioinformatics Data Analysis, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Dietmar Dressen: Labor Mönchengladbach MVZ Dr. Stein & Kollegen GbR, Tomphecke 45, Mönchengladbach 41169, Germany
Axel Schmidt: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Fabian Brand: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Peter Krawitz: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Libor Hart: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Duisburg-Essen, Henricistr. 92, Essen 45136, Germany
Anna Maria Eis-Hübinger: Institute of Virology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Andreas Buness: Institute for Genomic Statistics and Bioinformatics, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany; Core Unit for Bioinformatics Data Analysis, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany
Hendrik Streeck: Institute of Virology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, Bonn 53127, Germany; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 20
pp. 2292 – 2296

Abstract

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The first major COVID-19 outbreak in Germany occurred in Heinsberg in February 2020 with 388 officially reported cases. Unexpectedly, the first outbreak happened in a small town with little to no travelers. We used phylogenetic analyses to investigate the origin and spread of the virus in this outbreak. We sequenced 90 (23%) SARS-CoV-2 genomes from the 388 reported cases including the samples from the first documented cases. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences revealed mainly two circulating strains with 74 samples assigned to lineage B.3 and 6 samples assigned to lineage B.1. Lineage B.3 was introduced first and probably caused the initial spread. Using phylogenetic analysis tools, we were able to identify closely related strains in France and hypothesized the possible introduction from France.

Published in Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

ISSN: 2001-0370 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology: Biotechnology
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computational-and-structural-biotechnology-journal

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