Molecular characterization of SARS-CoV-2 in the first COVID-19 cluster in France reveals an amino-acid deletion in nsp2 (Asp268Del)

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

Bal, Antonin; Destras, G.; Gaymard, Alexandre; Bouscambert-Duchamp, Maude; Valette, Martine; Escuret, Vanessa; Frobert, Emilie; Billaud, G.; Trouillet-Assant, Sophie; Cheynet, V.; Brengel-Pesce, Karen; Morfin, Florence; Lina, Bruno; Josset, Laurence 

To the Editor

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus emerged in China, causing outbreaks of pneumonia [1]. The virus was subsequently identified as a betacoronavirus and named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic which includes asymptomatic upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Among the first European cases of COVID-19, six were associated with a cluster of transmissions in the French Alps in late January 2020 [2]. The index case of this cluster travelled from Singapore to France and went back to the United Kingdom (UK) where he tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on February 6th. Here, we aimed to investigate the French cases related to this cluster using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) analysis.

Keywords

Virology, immunology