Nature Communications (Jul 2023)

Increased interregional virus exchange and nucleotide diversity outline the expansion of chikungunya virus in Brazil

  • Joilson Xavier,
  • Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara,
  • Vagner Fonseca,
  • Mauricio Lima,
  • Emerson Castro,
  • Hegger Fritsch,
  • Carla Oliveira,
  • Natalia Guimarães,
  • Talita Adelino,
  • Mariane Evaristo,
  • Evandra S. Rodrigues,
  • Elaine Vieira Santos,
  • Debora de La-Roque,
  • Laise de Moraes,
  • Stephane Tosta,
  • Adelino Neto,
  • Alexander Rosewell,
  • Ana Flavia Mendonça,
  • Anderson Leite,
  • Andreza Vasconcelos,
  • Arabela L. Silva de Mello,
  • Bergson Vasconcelos,
  • Camila A. Montalbano,
  • Camila Zanluca,
  • Carla Freitas,
  • Carlos F. C. de Albuquerque,
  • Claudia Nunes Duarte dos Santos,
  • Cleiton S. Santos,
  • Cliomar Alves dos Santos,
  • Crhistinne C. Maymone Gonçalves,
  • Dalane Teixeira,
  • Daniel F. L. Neto,
  • Diego Cabral,
  • Elaine C. de Oliveira,
  • Ethel L. Noia Maciel,
  • Felicidade Mota Pereira,
  • Felipe Iani,
  • Fernanda P. de Carvalho,
  • Gabriela Andrade,
  • Gabriela Bezerra,
  • Gislene G. de Castro Lichs,
  • Glauco Carvalho Pereira,
  • Haline Barroso,
  • Helena Cristina Ferreira Franz,
  • Hivylla Ferreira,
  • Iago Gomes,
  • Irina N. Riediger,
  • Isabela Rodrigues,
  • Isadora C. de Siqueira,
  • Jacilane Silva,
  • Jairo Mendez Rico,
  • Jaqueline Lima,
  • Jayra Abrantes,
  • Jean Phellipe M. do Nascimento,
  • Judith N. Wasserheit,
  • Julia Pastor,
  • Jurandy J. F. de Magalhães,
  • Kleber Giovanni Luz,
  • Lidio G. Lima Neto,
  • Livia C. V. Frutuoso,
  • Luana Barbosa da Silva,
  • Ludmila Sena,
  • Luis Arthur F. de Sousa,
  • Luiz Augusto Pereira,
  • Luiz Demarchi,
  • Magaly C. B. Câmara,
  • Marcela G. Astete,
  • Maria Almiron,
  • Maricelia Lima,
  • Marina C. S. Umaki Zardin,
  • Mayra M. Presibella,
  • Melissa B. Falcão,
  • Michael Gale,
  • Naishe Freire,
  • Nelson Marques,
  • Noely F. O. de Moura,
  • Pedro E. Almeida Da Silva,
  • Peter Rabinowitz,
  • Rivaldo V. da Cunha,
  • Karen S. Trinta,
  • Rodrigo F. do Carmo Said,
  • Rodrigo Kato,
  • Rodrigo Stabeli,
  • Ronaldo de Jesus,
  • Roselene Hans Santos,
  • Simone Kashima,
  • Svetoslav N. Slavov,
  • Tamires Andrade,
  • Themis Rocha,
  • Thiago Carneiro,
  • Vanessa Nardy,
  • Vinicius da Silva,
  • Walterlene G. Carvalho,
  • Wesley C. Van Voorhis,
  • Wildo N. Araujo,
  • Ana M. B. de Filippis,
  • Marta Giovanetti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40099-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract The emergence and reemergence of mosquito-borne diseases in Brazil such as yellow fever, zika, chikungunya, and dengue have had serious impacts on public health. Concerns have been raised due to the rapid dissemination of the chikungunya virus across the country since its first detection in 2014 in Northeast Brazil. In this work, we carried out on-site training activities in genomic surveillance in partnership with the National Network of Public Health Laboratories that have led to the generation of 422 chikungunya virus genomes from 12 Brazilian states over the past two years (2021–2022), a period that has seen more than 312 thousand chikungunya fever cases reported in the country. These genomes increased the amount of available data and allowed a more comprehensive characterization of the dispersal dynamics of the chikungunya virus East-Central-South-African lineage in Brazil. Tree branching patterns revealed the emergence and expansion of two distinct subclades. Phylogeographic analysis indicated that the northeast region has been the leading hub of virus spread towards other regions. Increased frequency of C > T transitions among the new genomes suggested that host restriction factors from the immune system such as ADAR and AID/APOBEC deaminases might be driving the genetic diversity of the chikungunya virus in Brazil.