Acute Vector-Borne Viral Infection:Zika and MinION Surveillance

The MinION sequencer was launched by the Oxford Nanopore Technologies start-up as a disruptive technology for genome sequencing based on single-molecule synthesis. Its characteristics as a portable device, low cost, and simple library preparation have made it a good candidate for field researchers. MinION has been used to sequence a number of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Based on the experience that characterized the Ebola virus genetic diversity in Guinea during the 2014-2015 outbreak, the ZiBRA (Zika in Brazil Real-time Analysis) project aimed to sequence a large number of Zika virus genomes during a mobile laboratory trip in northeast Brazil to provide important epidemiological information about the spread of this disease in this country. In response to the positive and rapid results obtained by the ZiBRA project, the Brazilian Ministry of Health and many leading institutions, such as the Pan American Health Organization and WHO, have shown interest in expanding the strategy used in this project to other countries dealing with arbovirus infection.