Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants
An adequate SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance strategy has proven to be essential for countries to obtain a thorough understanding of the variants and lineages being imported and successfully established within their borders. During 2020, genomic surveillance in Belgium was not structurally implemente...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/10/2301 |
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| author | Lize Cuypers Simon Dellicour Samuel L. Hong Barney I. Potter Bruno Verhasselt Nick Vereecke Laurens Lambrechts Keith Durkin Vincent Bours Sofieke Klamer Guillaume Bayon-Vicente Carl Vael Kevin K. Ariën Ricardo De Mendonca Oriane Soetens Charlotte Michel Bertrand Bearzatto Reinout Naesens Jeremie Gras Anne Vankeerberghen Veerle Matheeussen Geert Martens Dagmar Obbels Ann Lemmens Bea Van den Poel Ellen Van Even Klara De Rauw Luc Waumans Marijke Reynders Jonathan Degosserie Piet Maes Emmanuel André Guy Baele |
| author_facet | Lize Cuypers Simon Dellicour Samuel L. Hong Barney I. Potter Bruno Verhasselt Nick Vereecke Laurens Lambrechts Keith Durkin Vincent Bours Sofieke Klamer Guillaume Bayon-Vicente Carl Vael Kevin K. Ariën Ricardo De Mendonca Oriane Soetens Charlotte Michel Bertrand Bearzatto Reinout Naesens Jeremie Gras Anne Vankeerberghen Veerle Matheeussen Geert Martens Dagmar Obbels Ann Lemmens Bea Van den Poel Ellen Van Even Klara De Rauw Luc Waumans Marijke Reynders Jonathan Degosserie Piet Maes Emmanuel André Guy Baele |
| author_sort | Lize Cuypers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An adequate SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance strategy has proven to be essential for countries to obtain a thorough understanding of the variants and lineages being imported and successfully established within their borders. During 2020, genomic surveillance in Belgium was not structurally implemented but performed by individual research laboratories that had to acquire the necessary funds themselves to perform this important task. At the start of 2021, a nationwide genomic surveillance consortium was established in Belgium to markedly increase the country’s genomic sequencing efforts (both in terms of intensity and representativeness), to perform quality control among participating laboratories, and to enable coordination and collaboration of research projects and publications. We here discuss the genomic surveillance efforts in Belgium before and after the establishment of its genomic sequencing consortium, provide an overview of the specifics of the consortium, and explore more details regarding the scientific studies that have been published as a result of the increased number of Belgian SARS-CoV-2 genomes that have become available. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:23:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9aa7f024aea4e27a221d1aff05533a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:23:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9aa7f024aea4e27a221d1aff05533a12023-11-24T03:11:05ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-10-011410230110.3390/v14102301Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging VariantsLize Cuypers0Simon Dellicour1Samuel L. Hong2Barney I. Potter3Bruno Verhasselt4Nick Vereecke5Laurens Lambrechts6Keith Durkin7Vincent Bours8Sofieke Klamer9Guillaume Bayon-Vicente10Carl Vael11Kevin K. Ariën12Ricardo De Mendonca13Oriane Soetens14Charlotte Michel15Bertrand Bearzatto16Reinout Naesens17Jeremie Gras18Anne Vankeerberghen19Veerle Matheeussen20Geert Martens21Dagmar Obbels22Ann Lemmens23Bea Van den Poel24Ellen Van Even25Klara De Rauw26Luc Waumans27Marijke Reynders28Jonathan Degosserie29Piet Maes30Emmanuel André31Guy Baele32National Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumSpatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumPathoSense BV, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumHIV Cure Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLaboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, 4000 Liège, BelgiumLaboratory of Human Genetics, GIGA Research Institute, 4000 Liège, BelgiumScientific Directorate of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, 1050 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, BelgiumClinical Laboratory, AZ Klina, 2930 Brasschaat, BelgiumVirology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, CUB-Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology and Infection Control, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles (LHUB-ULB), 1000 Brussels, BelgiumCenter for Applied Molecular Technologies (CTMA), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 1000 Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen, 2020 Antwerp, BelgiumInstitute of Pathology and Genetics (IPG), 6041 Gosselies, BelgiumLaboratory of Molecular Biology, Campus Aalst-Asse-Ninove, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis, 9300 Aalst, BelgiumLaboratory of Medical Microbiology, Department of Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute (VAXINFECTIO), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Delta General Hospital, 8800 Roeselare, BelgiumClinical Laboratory, Imelda Hospital, 2820 Bonheiden, BelgiumLaboratory of Clinical Biology, AZ Sint-Maarten Hospital, 2800 Mechelen, BelgiumClinical Laboratory, General Hospital Jan Portaels, 1800 Vilvoorde, BelgiumClinical Laboratory of Microbiology, HH Hospital Lier, 2500 Lier, BelgiumLaboratory of Clinical Biology, AZ Sint Lucas Hospital, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumClinical Laboratory, Jessa Hospital, 3500 Hasselt, BelgiumDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Medical Microbiology, AZ Sint-Jan Bruges-Ostend AV, 8000 Bruges, BelgiumFederal Testing Platform COVID-19, Department of Laboratory Medicine, CHU UCL Namur, 5530 Yvoir, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumNational Reference Centre for Respiratory Pathogens, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumAn adequate SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance strategy has proven to be essential for countries to obtain a thorough understanding of the variants and lineages being imported and successfully established within their borders. During 2020, genomic surveillance in Belgium was not structurally implemented but performed by individual research laboratories that had to acquire the necessary funds themselves to perform this important task. At the start of 2021, a nationwide genomic surveillance consortium was established in Belgium to markedly increase the country’s genomic sequencing efforts (both in terms of intensity and representativeness), to perform quality control among participating laboratories, and to enable coordination and collaboration of research projects and publications. We here discuss the genomic surveillance efforts in Belgium before and after the establishment of its genomic sequencing consortium, provide an overview of the specifics of the consortium, and explore more details regarding the scientific studies that have been published as a result of the increased number of Belgian SARS-CoV-2 genomes that have become available.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/10/2301SARS-CoV-2COVID-19Belgiumgenomic surveillancenext-generation sequencingvariants of concern |
| spellingShingle | Lize Cuypers Simon Dellicour Samuel L. Hong Barney I. Potter Bruno Verhasselt Nick Vereecke Laurens Lambrechts Keith Durkin Vincent Bours Sofieke Klamer Guillaume Bayon-Vicente Carl Vael Kevin K. Ariën Ricardo De Mendonca Oriane Soetens Charlotte Michel Bertrand Bearzatto Reinout Naesens Jeremie Gras Anne Vankeerberghen Veerle Matheeussen Geert Martens Dagmar Obbels Ann Lemmens Bea Van den Poel Ellen Van Even Klara De Rauw Luc Waumans Marijke Reynders Jonathan Degosserie Piet Maes Emmanuel André Guy Baele Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants Viruses SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Belgium genomic surveillance next-generation sequencing variants of concern |
| title | Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants |
| title_full | Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants |
| title_fullStr | Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants |
| title_short | Two Years of Genomic Surveillance in Belgium during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic to Attain Country-Wide Coverage and Monitor the Introduction and Spread of Emerging Variants |
| title_sort | two years of genomic surveillance in belgium during the sars cov 2 pandemic to attain country wide coverage and monitor the introduction and spread of emerging variants |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Belgium genomic surveillance next-generation sequencing variants of concern |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/10/2301 |
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