Who spread it? New technique helps track how diseases spread

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-10-31 21:00

New Zealand; International

PHOTO: Towfiqu barbhuiya/Unsplash

An international team of scientists, including New Zealanders, used deep genomic sequencing on mice infected with a bacterium to find a more precise way to infer which rodents infected others. They say this new approach will strengthen the toolbox we currently have to break the chain of transmission of infectious diseases, adding to more traditional techniques like contact tracing to stop outbreaks in their tracks.

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Journal/
conference: Nature Communications

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Auckland, Te Pūnaha Matatini

Funder: This work was supported by an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, awarded to W.P.H. (R01AI128344), and grants-in-aid from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (9802-3701152) and the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery (9431-48516), awarded to S.W.

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