Background There is a global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Information on viral genomics is crucial for understanding global dispersion and for providing insight into viral pathogenicity and transmission. Here, we characterized the SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from five travelers who returned to Taiwan from the United States of America (USA) between March and April 2020. Methods Haplotype network analysis was performed using genome-wide single-nucleotide variations to trace potential infection routes. To determine the genetic variations and evolutionary trajectory of the isolates, the genomes of isolates were compared to those of global virus strains from GISAID. Pharyngeal specimens were confirmed to be SARS-CoV-2-positive by RT-PCR. Direct whole-genome sequencing was performed, and viral assemblies were subsequently uploaded to GISAID. Comparative genome sequence and single-nucleotide variation analyses were performed. Results The D614G mutation was identified in imported cases, which separated into two clusters related to viruses originally detected in the USA. Our findings highlight the risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants through air travel and the need for continued genomic tracing for the epidemiological investigation and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using viral genomic data. Conclusions Continuous genomic surveillance is warranted to trace virus circulation and evolution in different global settings during future outbreaks.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, whole-genome sequencing, SARS-CoV-2, Phylogenetic analysis, imported case, 【초록키워드】 Evolution, coronavirus, Variation, Genome, SARS-CoV-2 variant, Infection, risk, Transmission, RT-PCR, virus, global pandemic, Outbreaks, D614G mutation, Surveillance, Genetic variation, Travel, Cluster, network analysis, trajectory, epidemiological, circulation, USA, Taiwan, genomic, GISAID, Analysis, genome sequence, isolates, Comparative, acute respiratory syndrome, genomic data, specimen, America, viral pathogenicity, virus strain, Direct, isolate, FIVE, highlight, Result, performed, the United State, was performed, characterized, determine, returned, separated, Continuous, single-nucleotide, the SARS-CoV-2 genome, 【제목키워드】 Transmissibility, D614G, mutant, Taiwan, Analysis, America, the United State,