Wade, R. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2023

Ultraviolet-C mediated inactivation of Candida auris, a rapid emerging health threat

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), pose significant challenges to patient safety. Candida auris (C. auris), an emerging MDRO fungus, has been acknowledged as an urgent threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) due to its high mortality and difficulty in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of 254 nm ultraviolet-C light (UV-C) in inactivating C. auris on hard surfaces. A mobile UV-C tower equipped with high-performance bulbs was used, and within 7 minutes of continuous exposure, [≥] 99.97% ([≥] 3.86 log10) inactivation of C. auris was achieved in a patient-room sized test chamber. Our findings suggest that UV-C can serve as an effective infection control measure for preventing C. auris and other MDRO HAIs in healthcare settings. Implementation of UV-C disinfection protocols can contribute to enhanced patient safety and combat the growing threat of MDRO pathogens.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Genotyping, sequencing and analysis of 140,000 adults from the Mexico City Prospective Study

The Mexico City Prospective Study (MCPS) is a prospective cohort of over 150,000 adults recruited two decades ago from the urban districts of Coyoacan and Iztapalapa in Mexico City. We generated genotype and exome sequencing data for all individuals, and whole genome sequencing for 10,000 selected individuals. We uncovered high levels of relatedness and substantial heterogeneity in ancestry composition across individuals. Most sequenced individuals had admixed Native American, European and African ancestry, with extensive admixture from indigenous groups in Central, Southern and South Eastern Mexico. Native Mexican segments of the genome had lower levels of coding variation, but an excess of homozygous loss of function variants compared with segments of African and European origin. We estimated population specific allele frequencies at 142 million genomic variants, with an effective sample size of 91,856 for Native Mexico at exome variants, all available via a public browser. Using whole genome sequencing, we developed an imputation reference panel which outperforms existing panels at common variants in individuals with high proportions of Central, South and South Eastern Native Mexican ancestry. Our work illustrates the value of genetic studies in populations with diverse ancestry and provides foundational imputation and allele frequency resources for future genetic studies in Mexico and in the United States where the Hispanic/Latino population is predominantly of Mexican descent.

genetics↗