Viral pathogen discovery.

Viral pathogen discovery is of critical importance to clinical microbiology, infectious diseases, and public health. Genomic approaches for pathogen discovery, including consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarrays, and unbiased next-generation sequencing (NGS), have the capacity to comprehensively identify novel microbes present in clinical samples. Although numerous challenges remain to be addressed, including the bioinformatics analysis and interpretation of large datasets, these technologies have been successful in rapidly identifying emerging outbreak threats, screening vaccines and other biological products for microbial contamination, and discovering novel viruses associated with both acute and chronic illnesses. Downstream studies such as genome assembly, epidemiologic screening, and a culture system or animal model of infection are necessary to establish an association of a candidate pathogen with disease

Clinical metagenomics.

Clinical metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), the comprehensive analysis of microbial and host genetic material (DNA and RNA) in samples from patients, is rapidly moving from research to clinical laboratories. This emerging approach is changing how physicians diagnose and treat infectious disease, with applications spanning a wide range of areas, including antimicrobial resistance, the microbiome, human host gene expression (transcriptomics) and oncology. Here, we focus on the challenges of implementing mNGS in the clinical laboratory and address potential solutions for maximizing its impact on patient care and public health

First Complete Genome Sequence of Corynebacterium riegelii.

Here, we report the first complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium riegelii strain PUDD_83A45, isolated from the urine of a patient with urinary tract infection. The genome measured 2.56 Mb and contained no plasmid

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium heraklionense Strain Davo.

We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium heraklionense strain Davo, isolated from a fine-needle aspirate of a right-ankle soft-tissue mass. This is the first draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium heraklionense, a nonpigmented rapidly growing mycobacterium

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium heckeshornense Strain RLE.

We report here the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium heckeshornense strain RLE isolated from a sputum sample from a patient with shortness of breath. This is the first draft genome sequence of M. heckeshornense

First Draft Genome Sequences of Neisseria sp. Strain 83E34 and Neisseria sp. Strain 74A18, Previously Identified as CDC Eugonic Fermenter 4b Species.

We report the first draft genome sequences of two isolates previously classified as CDC EF-4b species, Neisseria sp. 83E34 and Neisseria sp. 74A18. Both strains were isolated from patients with animal bites and likely constitute novel genomospecies with average nucleotide identities of <95% to other sequenced strains

Metagenomic-based Surveillance of Pacific Coast tick Dermacentor occidentalis Identifies Two Novel Bunyaviruses and an Emerging Human Ricksettsial Pathogen.

An increasing number of emerging tick-borne diseases has been reported in the United States since the 1970s. Using metagenomic next generation sequencing, we detected nucleic acid sequences from 2 novel viruses in the family Bunyaviridae and an emerging human rickettsial pathogen, Rickettsia philipii, in a population of the Pacific Coast tick, Dermacentor occidentalis in Mendocino County sampled annually from 2011 to 2014. A total of 250 adults of this human-biting, generalist tick were collected from contiguous chaparral and grassland habitats, and RNA from each individually extracted tick was deep sequenced to an average depth of 7.3 million reads. We detected a Francisella endosymbiont in 174 ticks (70%), and Rickettsia spp. in 19 ticks (8%); Rickettsia-infected ticks contained R. rhipicephali (16 of 250, 6.4%) or R. philipii (3 of 250,1.2%), the agent of eschar-associated febrile illness in humans. The genomes of 2 novel bunyaviruses (>99% complete) in the genera Nairovirus and Phlebovirus were also identified and found to be present in 20-91% of ticks, depending on the year of collection. The high prevalence of these bunyaviruses in sampled Dermacentor ticks suggests that they may be viral endosymbionts, although further studies are needed to determine whether they are infectious for vertebrate hosts, especially humans, and their potential role in tick ecology

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium arupense Strain GUC1.

We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium arupense strain GUC1 from a sputum sample of a patient with bronchiectasis. This is the first draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium arupense, a rapidly growing nonchromogenic mycobacteria

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium elephantis Strain Lipa.

We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium elephantis strain Lipa from a sputum sample of a patient with pulmonary disease. This is the first draft genome sequence of M. elephantis, a rapidly growing mycobacterium

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium obuense Strain UC1, Isolated from Patient Sputum.

We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium obuense strain UC1 from a patient sputum sample. This is the first draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium obuense, a rapidly growing scotochromogenic mycobacterium