Uncovering Increasing Arbovirus Outbreaks in Subtropical South America through Genomics and Bioinformatics

Speaker: Dr. Gabriel da Luz Wallau, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Bernhard Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine

Moderator: Dr. Kiyoko Aoki-Kinoshita

Abstract: Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are mostly vectored by mosquitoes and transmitted to humans in tropical regions of the globe. However, as extreme climatic events and climate change as a whole continues both vectors and transmitted viruses are expanding their range to previously arbovirus-free areas. Using genomic surveillance my group is mapping the spread of high impact viruses such as Dengue and Chikungunya in South America and Brazil. We developed a range of tools for rapid genome assembly and analysis of circulating lineages that allowed us to reconstruct the transmission route of theses viruses and detect the autochthonous transmission and large outbreaks in the south of Brazil. In this talk I will address the tools and results reached using them.

Highlight: At APBioNETTalks 7, Gabriel Wallau shed light on a growing threat: mosquito-borne viruses, or “arboviruses,” causing more and more outbreaks in South America. He emphasized the need to understand these viruses globally, as they hit people in different ways depending on the type.

Dr. Wallau focused on the history and spread of dengue and Zika in Brazil. His team analyzed the genes of viruses from a big dengue outbreak, learning key details about them that could help predict future cases. Moreover, he showcased the tools that he and his team built to analyze and understand the genetic data of the viruses. He emphasized the need for global cooperation to track these viruses and understand their impact, especially the ones that mutate quickly.

📅 : November 13, 2022
⏲️ : 9 BRT / 12 UTC / 8 pm  SGT