Skip to main content

Military Health System

Test of Sitewide Banner

This is a test of the sitewide banner capability. In the case of an emergency, site visitors would be able to visit the news page for addition information.

DOD Establishes Collaborative Virus Genetic Sequencing Capability for COVID-19

Image of two scientists in masks looking at a computer monitor. Research associate Lindsay Glang and senior bioinformatics analyst Gregory Rice sequencing SARS-CoV-2 genomes on Oxford Nanopore MinION platform at NMRC BDRD. (Photo Courtesy of Naval Medical Research Center, Genomics & Bioinformatics Department.)

As the pandemic continues to unfold, genetic sequence data for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has played a critical role in the public health response, including in the design of diagnostics and vaccines. Within the Department of Defense, SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence data plays a vital role in force health protection efforts.

To jumpstart the DOD's SARS-CoV-2 sequencing efforts, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) section used its existing partnerships with Army, Navy, and Air Force public health and medical research laboratories. This connection helped to establish a collaborative approach to the sequencing capabilities. Sequence data from this collaboration will provide critical information about transmission patterns, track diagnostic effectiveness, and guide the development and evaluation of medical countermeasures for the 1.4 million active duty and 331,000 reserve personnel.

"GEIS-funded surveillance provides near-real time understanding of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is evolving. This information is critical for the development of a vaccine and treatment," stated Navy Capt. Guillermo Pimentel, GEIS chief. "Previous investments by GEIS in this technology have given our partners the capability to respond and sequence SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from DOD Service members around the world."

In 2017, GEIS established a Next Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Consortium to work with GEIS partner DOD laboratories to coordinate and improve pathogen sequencing and analysis efforts around the world. Consortium partners can rapidly detect and characterize known, emerging, and novel infectious disease agents using data from pathogen sequencing. This helps to inform force health protection decision making. The core Consortium partners include: the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, and the Naval Health Research Center.

"We have used virus sequence data in numerous studies to track virus transmission [such as dengue and influenza]," said Irina Maljkovic Berry, chief of Viral Genetics and Emerging Diseases for the WRAIR Viral Diseases Branch in Silver Spring, Maryland. "We estimate outbreak origins to detect and track vaccine escape and other important mutations throughout the world to aid in vaccine design."

Consortium partners played a key role in analyzing previous viral outbreaks, such as Ebola in West Africa and Zika in South America, and in seasonal influenza vaccine selection. "Each year we generate thousands of influenza genomes that we use to determine how influenza is evolving or evading our vaccines which directly impact our forces," said Clarise Starr, deputy chief of Pathogen Detection and Therapeutics Portfolio Applied Technology and Genomics Division, U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. "These efforts will be the same essential practices that we'll need to deploy in response to SARS-CoV-2."

This open partnership and investment proved extremely helpful in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. DOD laboratories quickly established the ability to isolate the virus, share samples, and compare laboratory methods to improve their sequencing capabilities. "We have been evaluating a few different laboratory sequencing protocols to determine which one works best for samples with certain attributes, in order help increase the efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing from swabs," according to Kimberly Bishop-Lilly, head of Genomics & Bioinformatics Department at NMRC in Fort Detrick, Maryland.

The sequence data that's being collected is a valuable source of information to better understand virus transmission patterns among DOD personnel, particularly when combined with other clinical and epidemiological data. These data are also compared to global virus sequence data.

"The goal is to have data and information that could help answer how local outbreaks may have started, how SARS-CoV-2 may have spread in a community or geographic area, and how we can better contain spread or improve interventions," said Lindsay Morton, GEIS's senior molecular epidemiologist. Thus far, SARS-CoV-2 sequence data has been gathered from infected personnel at more than 25 locations across the globe.

Additionally, GEIS partners are leveraging this technology to improve understanding of global circulation of SARS-CoV-2 through surveillance programs at DOD overseas labs, such as in Thailand, Peru, Kenya, and Cambodia.

"The OCONUS (Outside Continental United States) labs are starting to stand up SARS-CoV-2 sequencing capabilities and the core labs of the Consortium are providing them reach-back support for sequencing protocols and for bioinformatics analyses," said Bishop-Lilly. "Consensus viral genomes are being produced at some of the OCONUS labs and we are comparing to viral genomes obtained from samples in other regions such as the U.S., to identify what lineage is predominant in a given geographic region and what key genetic variations may be predominant in a certain area."

These data will provide a better understanding of transmission in these locations and result in a better understanding of risk to U.S. forces deployed around the world as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. GEIS leaders hope that increased collaboration across the agencies will propel the research and production of an effective vaccine.

"The key to fully utilizing SARS-CoV-2 sequence data is collaboration," said Morton, "Consortium partners are ready and willing to engage with organizations involved with clinical studies and outbreak investigations across the DOD to better guide the Department's response to COVID-19 and reduce the impact to readiness and operations around the world."

You also may be interested in...

Occupational Medicine, Industrial Hygiene Work Together to Protect DOD Workers

Article Around MHS
5/17/2023
Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen industrial hygienist Emma Bieniek and U.S. Army Spc. Jeremy Rohrer use a Q-Trak direct reading instrument to assess indoor air quality parameters at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. DCPH-A’s occupational medicine and industrial hygiene specialists work together to understand what issues Department of Defense civilian and military staff are facing in the various workplaces. (Photo by Graham Snodgrass, Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen)

One of the advantages of working in an organization like the Defense Centers for Public Health – Aberdeen are the synergies created by having professionals from multiple disciplines working together to support service member and government civilian worker health.

How COVID-19 Public Health Emergency’s End Affects TRICARE

Article Around MHS
5/16/2023
Immunization Clinic photo

The Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 expired at the end of May 11. You might be wondering what this means about the state of COVID-19 or if there are changes to your TRICARE coverage.

Protect Yourself With Respiratory Illnesses on the Rise

Article Around MHS
12/19/2022
Military medical personnel administering vaccine

"Tis the season, and respiratory illnesses are on the rise. Learn critical health guidance about the viral triple threat of COVID-19, influenza, and the common cold, and the commonsense steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.

Naval Medical Research Center Joint Study with Mount Sinai Uncovers Differences in COVID-19 Immune Response between the Sexes

Article Around MHS
12/5/2022
Amanda Cherry, research assistant, performing diagnostic testing at NMRC

A collaborative study between researchers at Naval Medical Research Center and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Princeton University has highlighted immune response differences in the coronavirus infection responses between male and female patients.

Get Protected With New COVID-19 Booster and Flu Vaccine

Article Around MHS
10/24/2022
Military medical personnel administering vaccine

There are two vaccines you should consider getting this Fall, and now you can get them both at the same time.

Collaborating In the ER: Reservists Assist, Learn in Community Hospitals

Article Around MHS
10/20/2022
Military medical personnel in medical training session

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic–when there were no vaccines, a shortage of health care workers, and hospitals were beyond capacity– the U.S. health care system needed help. Here's one of many ways the Department of Defense answered the call.

Ramstein Now Offers Novavax Vaccine

Article Around MHS
9/8/2022
Military medical gives Soldier a COVID-19 vaccine

The 86th Medical Group is now offering the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, which has been authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to members 18 years and older in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

Latasha Smith: Warrior against COVID-19

Article Around MHS
2/18/2022
Military personnel looking at a patient's cardiac rhythm

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Latasha Smith, an Airman assigned to the 86th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, was celebrated as Airlifter of the Week, Jan. 27, 2022, after leading the assault against COVID-19 for over a year.

COVID-19 therapeutics support DOD pandemic response

Article Around MHS
2/11/2022
Military personnel getting COVID-29 doses ready

The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency is helping to protect the operational force by distributing several new therapeutic options that help to lessen the symptoms of mild-to-moderate cases of COVID-19 and keep Soldiers, their families and beneficiaries out of the hospital.

COVID-19 Health Action Response for Marines continues to study long-term effects of COVID-19 on Marines

Article Around MHS
2/10/2022
Medical military personnel talking to a patient

A team composed of U.S. Navy medical personnel and civilian technicians based out of the Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, assembled during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 to study the short and long-term effects that the virus has on Marines. 

Getting up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccine

Article Around MHS
2/8/2022
Military personnel giving the COVID-19 vaccine

The U.S. Guard Coast is that we have vaccines to help prevent serious illness if you contract COVID-19.

Oregon National Guard surging to support hospitals again

Article Around MHS
1/27/2022
Oregon Army National Guard touring a hospital

Hundreds of Oregon National Guard members are increasing support of hospitals throughout the state in their second hospital relief mission during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public Health nurses offer insights on living with COVID-19 now, looking into future

Article Around MHS
1/25/2022
The Challenges of Living with COVID

One of the more challenging jobs for any public health professional is dealing with unpredictability inherent in outbreaks like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Navy Hospital Corpsman steps into the breach in the war on COVID-19

Article Around MHS
1/18/2022
Hospitalman Hector Conde standing in front of a immunization office's refrigeration

First responders and those fighting on the medical battleground have earned well-deserved recognition for their efforts.

This is my Why

Article Around MHS
12/30/2021
Air Force Senior Airman Marcus Bullock poses for a photo after receiving his COVID-19 vaccination

Air Force Senior Airman Marcus Bullock stated his reason for getting the vaccine was to help his mother and son be able to have a play date again.

Page 1 of 2 , showing items 1 - 15
First < 1 2 > Last 
Refine your search
Last Updated: June 03, 2022
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery