Orientia tsutsugamushi strain:not applicable | isolate:CBFTVM Genome sequencing. Orientia tsutsugamushi strain:not applicable | isolate:CBFTVM

The aim of the study was to obtain whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of Orientia tsutsugamushi from a clinical sample after enrichment. Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium which causes scrub typhus, an acute febrile illness characterized by eschar and transmitted to humans (dead-end host) by the larvae (chigger) of the trombiculid mite. As host cell DNA predominates in clinical samples, we tried various kit based methods for depletion of the host (Human) genome. The results were not satisfactory. Therefore, we attempted target enrichment using RNA baiting technology (SureSelect Custom Tier2 0.5Mbto 2.9Mb probe).Subsequently, we performed Illumina and Nanopore sequencing to obtain the best coverage. Using appropriate tools, a hybrid assembly was performed with the sequence data generated. The resulting draft genome was validated based on homology search which showed that approximately 99.5 percent contigs, classified under Orientia genus. The assembled contigs were mapped against reference Karp genome to generate final consensus genome with 80% coverage (1.6 Mb) of the Orientia tsutsugamushi.