美国哈佛大学Bronwyn L. MacInnis等研究人员合作揭示波士顿SARS-CoV-2感染中的超级传播事件。2020年12月10日，《科学》杂志在线发表了这项成果。

通过对波士顿地区流行初期772个完整SARS-CoV-2基因组的分析，研究人员揭示了该病毒的大量传入，其中少数导致大多数病例。数据显示了两个超级传播事件。其中之一是，在一个熟练的护理机构中，这些易感人群导致了快速传播和大量死亡，但传播范围很小，而其他传入该机构的效果却很小。在国际商务会议上，第二次传播产生了持续的社区传播并被输出传播，从而导致了广泛的区域、国家和国际传播。

这两个事件在产生的遗传变异上也有显著差异，这表明超级传播事件中的传播动力学有所不同。这些结果揭示了基因组流行病学如何帮助理解单个集体与更广泛的社区传播之间的联系。

附：英文原文

Title: Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 in Boston highlights the impact of superspreading events

Author: Jacob E. Lemieux, Katherine J. Siddle, Bennett M. Shaw, Christine Loreth, Stephen F. Schaffner, Adrianne Gladden-Young, Gordon Adams, Timelia Fink, Christopher H. Tomkins-Tinch, Lydia A. Krasilnikova, Katherine C. DeRuff, Melissa Rudy, Matthew R. Bauer, Kim A. Lagerborg, Erica Normandin, Sinéad B. Chapman, Steven K. Reilly, Melis N. Anahtar, Aaron E. Lin, Amber Carter, Cameron Myhrvold, Molly E. Kemball, Sushma Chaluvadi, Caroline Cusick, Katelyn Flowers, Anna Neumann, Felecia Cerrato, Maha Farhat, Damien Slater, Jason B. Harris, John A. Branda, David Hooper, Jessie M. Gaeta, Travis P. Baggett, James O’Connell, Andreas Gnirke, Tami D. Lieberman, Anthony Philippakis, Meagan Burns, Catherine M. Brown, Jeremy Luban, Edward T. Ryan, Sarah E. Turbett, Regina C. LaRocque, William P. Hanage

Issue&Volume: 2020/12/10

Abstract: Analysis of 772 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from early in the Boston area epidemic revealed numerous introductions of the virus, a small number of which led to most cases. The data revealed two superspreading events. One, in a skilled nursing facility, led to rapid transmission and significant mortality in this vulnerable population but little broader spread, while other introductions into the facility had little effect. The second, at an international business conference, produced sustained community transmission and was exported, resulting in extensive regional, national, and international spread. The two events also differed significantly in the genetic variation they generated, suggesting varying transmission dynamics in superspreading events. Our results show how genomic epidemiology can help understand the link between individual clusters and wider community spread.

DOI: 10.1126/science.abe3261

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/12/09/science.abe3261