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Wolf JM, Kipper D, Borges GR, Streck AF, Lunge VR. Temporal spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the second pandemic wave in Brazil. J Med Virol 2021; 94:926-936. [PMID: 34596904 PMCID: PMC8661965 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic spread rapidly and this scenario is concerning in South America, mainly in Brazil that presented more than 21 million coronavirus disease 2019 cases and 590 000 deaths. The recent emergence of novel lineages carrying several mutations in the spike protein has raised additional public health concerns worldwide. The present study describes the temporal spreading and evolution of SARS‐CoV2 in the beginning of the second pandemic wave in Brazil, highlighting the fast dissemination of the two major concerning variants (P.1 and P.2). A total of 2507 SARS‐CoV‐2 whole‐genome sequences (WGSs) with available information from the country (Brazil) and sampling date (July 2020–February 2021), were obtained and the frequencies of the lineages were evaluated in the period of the growing second pandemic wave. The results demonstrated the increasing prevalence of P.1 and P.2 lineages in the period evaluated. P.2 lineage was first detected in the middle of 2020, but a high increase occurred only in the last trimester of this same year and the spreading to all Brazilian regions. P.1 lineage emerged even later, first in the North region in December 2020 and really fast dissemination to all other Brazilian regions in January and February 2021. All SARS‐CoV‐2 WGSs of P.1 and P.2 were further separately evaluated with a Bayesian approach. The rates of nucleotide and amino acid substitutions were statistically higher in P.1 than P.2 (p < 0.01). The phylodynamic analysis demonstrated that P.2 gradually spread in all the country from September 2020 to January 2021, while P.1 disseminated even faster from December 2020 to February 2021. Skyline plots of both lineages demonstrated a slight rise in the spreading for P.2 and exponential growth for P.1. In conclusion, these data demonstrated that the P.1 (recently renamed as Gamma) and P.2 lineages have predominated in the second pandemic wave due to the very high spreading across all geographic regions in Brazil at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021. In Brazil, P.1 (Gamma) and P.2 lineages have predominated in the second pandemic wave. The Bayesian approach showed very high spreading for both lineages across all geographic regions at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. P.2 increased only in the last trimester of 2020 and the spreading to all Brazilian regions. P.1 (Gamma) emerged even later with fast dissemination to all Brazilian regions in January and February 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas M Wolf
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, ULBRA, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Diéssy Kipper
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, UCS, Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Gabriela R Borges
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - André F Streck
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico em Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, UCS, Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vagner R Lunge
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, ULBRA, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Laboratório de Diagnóstico Molecular, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Simbios Biotecnologia, Cachoeirinha, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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An Autochthonous Outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 Variant of Concern in Southern Italy, April 2021. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6030151. [PMID: 34449757 PMCID: PMC8396329 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant of concern (VOC) was first identified in Brazil and is now spreading in European countries. It is characterized by the E484K mutation in the receptor-binding domain, which could contribute to the evasion from neutralizing antibodies. In Italy, this variant was first identified in January 2021. Here, we report an autochthonous outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant infections in southern Italy in subjects who had not travelled to endemic areas or outside the Apulia region. The outbreak involved seven subjects, three of whom had received a COVID-19 vaccine (one had received two doses and two had received one dose). Four patients had a mild clinical presentation. Laboratory investigations of nasopharyngeal swabs revealed that all strains were S-gene target failure-negative and molecular tests revealed they were the P.1 variant. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed that five subjects were infected with closely related strains classified as the P.1 lineage. The circulation of VOCs highlights the importance of strictly monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants through genomic surveillance and of investigating local outbreaks. Furthermore, public health measures including social distancing, screening, and quarantine for travelers are key tools to slow down the viral transmission and to contain and mitigate the impact of VOC diffusion, and rapid scaling-up of vaccination is crucial to avoid a possible new epidemic wave.
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Whole-Genome Sequences of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.525 Strains (Variant η) Detected from Patients in the Abruzzo Region (Central Italy) during Spring 2021. Microbiol Resour Announc 2021; 10:e0061821. [PMID: 34351227 PMCID: PMC8340867 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00618-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants are emerging worldwide. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of 13 severe acute SARS-CoV-2 strains belonging to lineage B.1.525 (variant η).
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Emergence and Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Lineages B.1.1.7 and P.1 in Italy. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050794. [PMID: 33946747 PMCID: PMC8146936 DOI: 10.3390/v13050794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Italy's second wave of SARS-CoV-2 has hit hard, with more than three million cases and over 100,000 deaths, representing an almost ten-fold increase in the numbers reported by August 2020. Herein, we present an analysis of 6515 SARS-CoV-2 sequences sampled in Italy between 29 January 2020 and 1 March 2021 and show how different lineages emerged multiple times independently despite lockdown restrictions. Virus lineage B.1.177 became the dominant variant in November 2020, when cases peaked at 40,000 a day, but since January 2021 this is being replaced by the B.1.1.7 'variant of concern'. In addition, we report a sudden increase in another documented variant of concern-lineage P.1-from December 2020 onwards, most likely caused by a single introduction into Italy. We again highlight how international importations drive the emergence of new lineages and that genome sequencing should remain a top priority for ongoing surveillance in Italy.
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