MinION nanopore sequencing of an influenza genome. MinION Influenza

Influenza A viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. These viruses can emerge from zoonotic reservoirs and are capable of causing pandemics. To prevent, contain or manage the spread of influenza viruses it is imperative that rapid diagnostic methods are available. The MinION nanopore sequencer is small and portable, and therefore may be very useful for detection and characterisation of influenza in the field or clinic. We have successfully sequenced full influenza A virus genome from a viral isolate (influenza A/New Zealand/316/2014 (H3N2) using the MinION; showing >99% sequence identity to data obtained by sanger-sequencing or Illumina MiSeq methods. These data were produced by sequencing amplicons of all eight influenza gene segments, amplified using the PCR method from Zhou et al (2009. J. Virol 83:10309).