1
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Duker EO, Obodai E, Addo SO, Kwasah L, Mensah ES, Gberbi E, Anane A, Attiku KO, Boakye J, Agbotse GD, Dickson AE, Quarcoo JA, Darko PA, Larbi YA, Ntim NAA, Dzudzor B, Odoom JK. First Molecular Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage and Wastewater in Ghana. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 2024:9975781. [PMID: 38595329 PMCID: PMC11003379 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9975781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values > 35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewurabena Oduma Duker
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Evangeline Obodai
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Seth Offei Addo
- Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Lorreta Kwasah
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Edna Serwah Mensah
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Emmanuel Gberbi
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Abraham Anane
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Keren O. Attiku
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jessica Boakye
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Gayheart Deladem Agbotse
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Angelina Evelyn Dickson
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Joseph Ahia Quarcoo
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Patience Akosua Darko
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yaw Awuku Larbi
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Nana Afia Asante Ntim
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Bartholomew Dzudzor
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - John Kofi Odoom
- Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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2
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y Castro TR, Piccoli BC, Vieira AA, Casarin BC, Tessele LF, Salvato RS, Gregianini TS, Martins LG, Resende PC, Pereira EC, Moreira FRR, de Jesus JG, Seerig AP, Lobato MAO, de Campos MMA, Goularte JS, da Silva MS, Demoliner M, Filippi M, Pereira VMAG, Schwarzbold AV, Spilki FR, Trindade PA. Introduction, Dispersal, and Predominance of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: A Retrospective Analysis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2938. [PMID: 38138081 PMCID: PMC10745878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome can alter the virus' fitness, leading to the emergence of variants of concern (VOC). In Brazil, the Gamma variant dominated the pandemic in the first half of 2021, and from June onwards, the first cases of Delta infection were documented. Here, we investigate the introduction and dispersal of the Delta variant in the RS state by sequencing 1077 SARS-CoV-2-positive samples from June to October 2021. Of these samples, 34.7% were identified as Gamma and 65.3% as Delta. Notably, 99.2% of Delta sequences were clustered within the 21J lineage, forming a significant Brazilian clade. The estimated clock rate was 5.97 × 10-4 substitutions per site per year. The Delta variant was first reported on 17 June in the Vinhedos Basalto microregion and rapidly spread, accounting for over 70% of cases within nine weeks. Despite this, the number of cases and deaths remained stable, possibly due to vaccination, prior infections, and the continued mandatory mask use. In conclusion, our study provides insights into the Delta variant circulating in the RS state, highlighting the importance of genomic surveillance for monitoring viral evolution, even when the impact of new variants may be less severe in a given region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Regina y Castro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna C. Piccoli
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Andressa A. Vieira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna C. Casarin
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Luíza F. Tessele
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Richard S. Salvato
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Tatiana S. Gregianini
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Leticia G. Martins
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Paola Cristina Resende
- Laboratório de Vírus Respiratórios e Sarampo, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Elisa C. Pereira
- Laboratório de Vírus Respiratórios e Sarampo, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Filipe R. R. Moreira
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline G. de Jesus
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Seerig
- Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97060-001, Brazil
| | - Marcos Antonio O. Lobato
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Marli M. A. de Campos
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana S. Goularte
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Mariana S. da Silva
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Meriane Demoliner
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Micheli Filippi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre V. Schwarzbold
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando R. Spilki
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Priscila A. Trindade
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
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3
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de Sousa LAF, Ferreira LSDS, Lobato LFL, Ferreira HLDS, Sousa LHDS, Santos VFD, Nunes PRS, Maramaldo CEC, Neto SS, Sampaio HL, Silva FVD, Brito MDC, Lima WKR, Lima CZGPA, Neto LGL. Molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 variants in circulation in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e29092. [PMID: 37724346 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a coronavirus belonging to the beta CoV genus, responsible for SARS in humans, which became known as COVID-19. The emergence of variants of this virus is related to the presence of cases of reinfection, reduced vaccine effectiveness and greater transmission of the virus. Objective: In this study, we evaluated the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in the state of Maranhão. This is a cross-sectional and retrospective epidemiological study of genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. The study comprised of 338 genomes sequenced by the Next Generation Sequencing technique on Illumina's Miseq equipment, submitted to Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data, 190 (56.2%) are from samples of female and 148 (43.8%) from male patients. Sequencing performed covered samples of patients aged between 1 and 108 years, with emphasis on the age groups from 30 to 39 years with 15.0% of sequenced genomes and 20 to 29 years with 12.4%. As for the distribution of sequenced genomes by health macro-regions, 285 (84.3%) are from cities in the northern macro-region. We evidenced the circulation of 29 lineages and sub-lineages, four of which belonging to the Delta variant (AY.43, AY.99.1, AY.99.2 and AY.101 responsible for 4.5% of the genomes) and the others belonging to the Omicron variant, with emphasis on: BA.1 and sub-lineages (42.8%); BA.4, BA.5 and sub-lineages (5.3% and 41.1%); the sub-lineages DL.1 and BQ.1 (5% and 2%). A strong genomic surveillance system allows the study of the natural history of the disease, when there is a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Artur Ferreira de Sousa
- Virology Laboratory, Postgraduation Program in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, UniCEUMA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | - Luis Felipe Lima Lobato
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Postgraduation Program in Tropical Medicine-IOC/FIOCRUZ-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Valdenice Ferreira Dos Santos
- Post-graduate Programme in Biodiversity and Biotechnology (BIONORTE), CEUMA University, UniCEUMA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Paulo Ricardo Silva Nunes
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | - Sebastião Silveira Neto
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Hellen Lobato Sampaio
- Virology Laboratory, Postgraduation Program in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, UniCEUMA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Fabiano Vieira da Silva
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Postgraduation Program in Tropical Medicine-IOC/FIOCRUZ-RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo da Costa Brito
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | - Washington Kleber Rodrigues Lima
- Post-graduate Programme in Biodiversity and Biotechnology (BIONORTE), CEUMA University, UniCEUMA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- UniCEUMA, CEUMA University, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
| | | | - Lidio Gonçalves Lima Neto
- Virology Laboratory, Postgraduation Program in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, UniCEUMA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute/Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão-IOC/LACEN-MA, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
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4
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Mayer ADM, Gröhs Ferrareze PA, de Oliveira LFV, Gregianini TS, Neves CLAM, Caldana GD, Kmetzsch L, Thompson CE. Genomic characterization and molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Virology 2023; 582:1-11. [PMID: 36989935 PMCID: PMC10018445 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 and has afflicted the world since the end of 2019. Different lineages have been discovered and the Gamma lineage, which started the second wave of infections, was first described in Brazil, one of the most affected countries by pandemic. Therefore, this study analyzed SARS-CoV-2 sequenced genomes from Esteio city in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. We also comparatively analyzed genomes of the two first years of the pandemic from Rio Grande do Sul state for understanding their genomic and evolutionary patterns. The phylogenomic analysis showed monophyletic groups for Alpha, Gamma, Delta and Omicron, as well as for other circulating lineages in the state. Molecular evolutionary analysis identified several sites under adaptive selection in membrane and nucleocapsid proteins which could be related to a prevalent stabilizing effect on membrane protein structure, as well as majoritarily destabilizing effects on C-terminal nucleocapsid domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda de Menezes Mayer
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Aline Gröhs Ferrareze
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Tatiana Schäffer Gregianini
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde da Secretaria de Saúde do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (LACEN/CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Dickin Caldana
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Lívia Kmetzsch
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Claudia Elizabeth Thompson
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Pharmacosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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5
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Hoffmann AT, da Silva MS, Gularte JS, Pasqualotto AC, Proença Módena JL, Hansen AW, Stadñik CMB, Sukienik TCT, Demoliner M, Heldt FH, Filippi M, Pereira VMDAG, de Marques CG, Kohler II, Quevedo DMD, Spilki FR. Dynamics of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmissions: Facing the challenge of variants of concern in a Brazilian reference hospital. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28446. [PMID: 36579775 PMCID: PMC9880750 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The hospital environment can be considered a high risk for the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission outbreaks, either for health professionals who are directly involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of the disease, or for patients, for being in an environment more vulnerable to the acquisition of nosocomial infections. In this molecular epidemiology study, we aimed to analyze the occurrence and transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in outbreaks and local chains of transmission in a large tertiary teaching hospital in southern Brazil, in addition to verifying circulating strains and their epidemiological relation in the local context, from September 21, 2020 to October 5, 2021. Positive samples involved in COVID-19 clusters or outbreaks were analyzed using clinical, epidemiological and genomic data. Different lineages and sublineages among patients in the same room were observed. Most patients had their first clinical manifestation, evidence of suspicion, and diagnostic confirmation within 7-14 days or >14 days after hospital admission. The patients who have contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19 spent, on average, 6.28 days in the same environment until the positive test. There was a significant association between the outcome and the number of vaccine doses (p < 0.05), where those who received two doses presented a lower occurrence of death. There was a total replacement of variant of concern (VOC) Gamma by VOC Delta from August 2021 at the study site. Although the epidemiological analysis indicates nosocomial infections, through genomic sequencing, it was established that most of the hospital outbreaks had different origins. These findings highlight the utility of integrating epidemiological and genomic data to identify possible routes of viral entry and dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Taíz Hoffmann
- Controle de Infecção HospitalarSanta Casa de Misericórdia de Porto AlegrePorto AlegreRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Mariana Soares da Silva
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Juliana Schons Gularte
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | | | | | - Alana Witt Hansen
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | | | | | - Meriane Demoliner
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Fágner Henrique Heldt
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | - Micheli Filippi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
| | | | | | - Ionara Ines Kohler
- Laboratório de Análises ClínicasSanta Casa de Misericórdia de Porto AlegrePorto AlegreBrazil
| | | | - Fernando Rosado Spilki
- Laboratório de Microbiologia MolecularUniversidade FeevaleNovo HamburgoRio Grande do SulBrazil
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6
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Molina-Mora JA, Reales-González J, Camacho E, Duarte-Martínez F, Tsukayama P, Soto-Garita C, Brenes H, Cordero-Laurent E, Ribeiro dos Santos A, Guedes Salgado C, Santos Silva C, Santana de Souza J, Nunes G, Negri T, Vidal A, Oliveira R, Oliveira G, Muñoz-Medina JE, Salas-Lais AG, Mireles-Rivera G, Sosa E, Turjanski A, Monzani MC, Carobene MG, Remes Lenicov F, Schottlender G, Fernández Do Porto DA, Kreuze JF, Sacristán L, Guevara-Suarez M, Cristancho M, Campos-Sánchez R, Herrera-Estrella A. Overview of the SARS-CoV-2 genotypes circulating in Latin America during 2021. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1095202. [PMID: 36935725 PMCID: PMC10018007 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1095202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Latin America is one of the regions in which the COVID-19 pandemic has a stronger impact, with more than 72 million reported infections and 1.6 million deaths until June 2022. Since this region is ecologically diverse and is affected by enormous social inequalities, efforts to identify genomic patterns of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 genotypes are necessary for the suitable management of the pandemic. To contribute to the genomic surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 in Latin America, we extended the number of SARS-CoV-2 genomes available from the region by sequencing and analyzing the viral genome from COVID-19 patients from seven countries (Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru). Subsequently, we analyzed the genomes circulating mainly during 2021 including records from GISAID database from Latin America. A total of 1,534 genome sequences were generated from seven countries, demonstrating the laboratory and bioinformatics capabilities for genomic surveillance of pathogens that have been developed locally. For Latin America, patterns regarding several variants associated with multiple re-introductions, a relatively low percentage of sequenced samples, as well as an increment in the mutation frequency since the beginning of the pandemic, are in line with worldwide data. Besides, some variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI) such as Gamma, Mu and Lambda, and at least 83 other lineages have predominated locally with a country-specific enrichments. This work has contributed to the understanding of the dynamics of the pandemic in Latin America as part of the local and international efforts to achieve timely genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Arturo Molina-Mora
- Centro de investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales and Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- *Correspondence: Jose Arturo Molina-Mora
| | | | - Erwin Camacho
- Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Sucre, Sincelejo, Colombia
| | - Francisco Duarte-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Pablo Tsukayama
- Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Claudio Soto-Garita
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Hebleen Brenes
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Estela Cordero-Laurent
- Laboratorio de Genómica y Biología Molecular, Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud, Tres Ríos, Cartago, Costa Rica
| | | | | | - Caio Santos Silva
- Instituto de Ciências Biológica, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Gisele Nunes
- Environmental Genomics, Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Tatianne Negri
- Environmental Genomics, Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Amanda Vidal
- Environmental Genomics, Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Renato Oliveira
- Environmental Genomics, Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Environmental Genomics, Vale Institute of Technology, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - José Esteban Muñoz-Medina
- Coordinación de Calidad de Insumos y Laboratorios Especializados, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Angel Gustavo Salas-Lais
- Coordinación de Calidad de Insumos y Laboratorios Especializados, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Mireles-Rivera
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad-Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Irapuato, Mexico
| | - Ezequiel Sosa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrián Turjanski
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Cecilia Monzani
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauricio G. Carobene
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Remes Lenicov
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Schottlender
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Luisa Sacristán
- Vicerrectoria de Investigación y Creación, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Marco Cristancho
- Vicerrectoria de Investigación y Creación, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rebeca Campos-Sánchez
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Alfredo Herrera-Estrella
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad-Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados, Irapuato, Mexico
- Alfredo Herrera-Estrella
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7
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SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance in Brazil: A Systematic Review with Scientometric Analysis. Viruses 2022; 14:v14122715. [PMID: 36560720 PMCID: PMC9784312 DOI: 10.3390/v14122715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have monitored the SARS-CoV-2 variants in Brazil throughout the pandemic. Here, we systematically reviewed and conducted a scientometric analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance studies using Brazilian samples. A Pubmed database search on October 2022 returned 492 articles, of which 106 were included. Ninety-six different strains were reported, with variant of concern (VOC) gamma (n = 35,398), VOC delta (n = 15,780), and the variant of interest zeta (n = 1983) being the most common. The top three states with the most samples in the published articles were São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais. Whereas the first year of the pandemic presented primary circulation of B.1.1.28 and B.1.1.33 variants, consecutive replacements were observed between them and VOI zeta, VOC gamma, VOC delta, and VOC omicron. VOI mu, VOI lambda, VOC alpha, and VOC beta were also detected but failed to reach significant circulation. Co-infection, re-infection, and vaccine breakthrough reports were found. Article co-citation differed from the co-authorship structure. Despite the limitations, we expect to give an overview of Brazil's genomic surveillance studies and contribute to future research execution.
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8
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Xie Y, Challis JK, Oloye FF, Asadi M, Cantin J, Brinkmann M, McPhedran KN, Hogan N, Sadowski M, Jones PD, Landgraff C, Mangat C, Servos MR, Giesy JP. RNA in Municipal Wastewater Reveals Magnitudes of COVID-19 Outbreaks across Four Waves Driven by SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern. ACS ES&T WATER 2022; 2:1852-1862. [PMID: 37552734 PMCID: PMC8887651 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
There are no standardized protocols for quantifying severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater to date, especially for population normalization. Here, a pipeline was developed, applied, and assessed to quantify SARS-CoV-2 and key variants of concern (VOCs) RNA in wastewater at Saskatoon, Canada. Normalization approaches using recovery ratio and extraction efficiency, wastewater parameters, or population indicators were assessed by comparing to daily numbers of new cases. Viral load was positively correlated with daily new cases reported in the sewershed. Wastewater surveillance (WS) had a lead time of approximately 7 days, which indicated surges in the number of new cases. WS revealed the variant α and δ driving the third and fourth wave, respectively. The adjustment with the recovery ratio and extraction efficiency improved the correlation between viral load and daily new cases. Normalization of viral concentration to concentrations of the artificial sweetener acesulfame K improved the trend of viral load during the Christmas and New Year holidays when populations were dynamic and variable. Acesulfame K performed better than pepper mild mottle virus, creatinine, and ammonia for population normalization. Hence, quality controls to characterize recovery ratios and extraction efficiencies and population normalization with acesulfame are promising for precise WS programs supporting decision-making in public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuwei Xie
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
| | - Jonathan K. Challis
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
| | - Femi F. Oloye
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
| | - Mohsen Asadi
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental
Engineering, College of Engineering, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9,
Canada
| | - Jenna Cantin
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
- Global Institute for Water Security,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5,
Canada
| | - Kerry N. McPhedran
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental
Engineering, College of Engineering, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A9,
Canada
- Global Institute for Water Security,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 3H5,
Canada
| | - Natacha Hogan
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
- College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Department of
Animal and Poultry Sciences, University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A8, Canada
| | - Mike Sadowski
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saskatoon Water Department,
City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7M 1X5,
Canada
| | - Paul D. Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
| | - Chrystal Landgraff
- Division of Enteric Diseases, National Microbiology
Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3E 3R2, Canada
- Food Science Department, University of
Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Chand Mangat
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Nosocomial Infections,
National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of
Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Mark R. Servos
- Department of Biology, University of
Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - John P. Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3,
Canada
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences,
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4,
Canada
- Department of Environmental Sciences,
Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76706, United
States
- Department of Zoology and Center for Integrative
Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
48824, United States
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9
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Genomic and epidemiologic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Southern Brazil and identification of a new Omicron-L452R sublineage. Virus Res 2022; 321:198907. [PMID: 36055471 PMCID: PMC9425700 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recently, SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was first identified in Botswana in November 2021. In a short period of time, this highly mutated variant replaced the previous dominant Delta variant, causing an exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, resulting in a new wave of pandemic. This current research article aims to analyze and summarize information about the genetic characteristics, amino acid mutations and epidemiological data providing scientific findings to enrich the SARS-CoV-2 knowledge. More importantly, we describe here, for the first time, the identification of a new Omicron variant of concern: Omicron-L452R in Brazil.
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10
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Freire-Neto FP, Teixeira DG, da Cunha DCS, Morais IC, Tavares CPM, Gurgel GP, Medeiros SDN, dos Santos DC, Sales ADO, Jeronimo SMB. SARS-CoV-2 reinfections with BA.1 (Omicron) variant among fully vaccinated individuals in northeastern Brazil. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010337. [PMID: 36191040 PMCID: PMC9560550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, was diagnosed on March 12, 2020; thereafter, multiple surges of infection occurred, similar to what was seen elsewhere. These surges were mostly due to SARS-CoV-2 mutations leading to emergence of variants of concern (VoC). The introduction of new VoCs in a population previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or after vaccination has been a challenge to understanding the kinetics of the protective immune response against this virus. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections observed in mid-January 2022 in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. It describes the clinical and genomic characteristics of nine cases of reinfection that occurred coincident with the introduction of the omicron variant. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Of a total of 172,965 individuals with upper respiratory symptoms tested for SARS-CoV-2, between March 2020 through mid-February 2022, 58,097 tested positive. Of those, 444 had documented a second SARS-CoV-2 infection and nine reinfection cases were selected for sequencing. Genomic analysis revealed that virus lineages diverged between primary infections and the reinfections, with the latter caused by the Omicron (BA.1) variant among individuals fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest that the Omicron variant is able to evade both natural and vaccine-induced immunity, since all nine cases had prior natural infection and, in addition, were fully vaccinated, emphasizing the need to develop effective blocking vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco P. Freire-Neto
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Getúlio Sales Diagnósticos, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Diego G. Teixeira
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Dayse C. S. da Cunha
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Ingryd C. Morais
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Celisa P. M. Tavares
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | | | | | - David C. dos Santos
- Instituto Metrópole Digital, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | | | - Selma M. B. Jeronimo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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11
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Oloye FF, Xie Y, Asadi M, Cantin J, Challis JK, Brinkmann M, McPhedran KN, Kristian K, Keller M, Sadowski M, Jones PD, Landgraff C, Mangat C, Fuzzen M, Servos MR, Giesy JP. Rapid transition between SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Delta and Omicron detected by monitoring municipal wastewater from three Canadian cities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 841:156741. [PMID: 35716745 PMCID: PMC9212401 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the communal incidence of COVID-19 is important for both government and residents of an area to make informed decisions. However, continuous reliance on one means of monitoring might not be accurate because of biases introduced by government policies or behaviours of residents. Wastewater surveillance was employed to monitor concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw influent wastewater from wastewater treatment plants serving three Canadian Prairie cities with different population sizes. Data obtained from wastewater are not directly influenced by government regulations or behaviours of individuals. The means of three weekly samples collected using 24 h composite auto-samplers were determined. Viral loads were determined by RT-qPCR, and whole-genome sequencing was used to charaterize variants of concern (VOC). The dominant VOCs in the three cities were the same but with different proportions of sub-lineages. Sub-lineages of Delta were AY.12, AY.25, AY.27 and AY.93 in 2021, while the major sub-lineage of Omicron was BA.1 in January 2022, and BA.2 subsequently became a trace-level sub-variant then the predominant VOC. When each VOC was first detected varied among cities; However, Saskatoon, with the largest population, was always the first to present new VOCs. Viral loads varied among cities, but there was no direct correlation with population size, possibly because of differences in flow regimes. Population is one of the factors that affects trends in onset and development of local outbreaks during the pandemic. This might be due to demography or the fact that larger populations had greater potential for inter- and intra-country migration. Hence, wastewater surveillance data from larger cities can typically be used to indicate what to expect in smaller communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femi F Oloye
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Yuwei Xie
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Mohsen Asadi
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Jenna Cantin
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Challis
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kerry N McPhedran
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kevin Kristian
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Public Work Department, City of Prince Albert, Prince Albert, SK, Canada
| | - Mark Keller
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, City Operations, City of North Battleford, North Battleford, SK, Canada
| | - Mike Sadowski
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saskatoon Water Department, City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Paul D Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Chrystal Landgraff
- Division of Enteric Diseases, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Chand Mangat
- Wastewater Surveillance Unit, National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Meghan Fuzzen
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark R Servos
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA; Department of Zoology and Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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12
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Freire-Neto FP, Teixeira DG, da Cunha DCS, Morais IC, Tavares CPM, Gurgel GP, Medeiros SDN, Santos DCD, Sales ADO, Jeronimo SMB. SARS-CoV-2 reinfections with BA.1 (Omicron) variant among fully vaccinated individuals in northeastern Brazil. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010337. [PMID: 36191040 DOI: 10.1101/2022.04.08.22272726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, was diagnosed on March 12, 2020; thereafter, multiple surges of infection occurred, similar to what was seen elsewhere. These surges were mostly due to SARS-CoV-2 mutations leading to emergence of variants of concern (VoC). The introduction of new VoCs in a population previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or after vaccination has been a challenge to understanding the kinetics of the protective immune response against this virus. The aim of this study was to investigate the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections observed in mid-January 2022 in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. It describes the clinical and genomic characteristics of nine cases of reinfection that occurred coincident with the introduction of the omicron variant. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Of a total of 172,965 individuals with upper respiratory symptoms tested for SARS-CoV-2, between March 2020 through mid-February 2022, 58,097 tested positive. Of those, 444 had documented a second SARS-CoV-2 infection and nine reinfection cases were selected for sequencing. Genomic analysis revealed that virus lineages diverged between primary infections and the reinfections, with the latter caused by the Omicron (BA.1) variant among individuals fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our findings suggest that the Omicron variant is able to evade both natural and vaccine-induced immunity, since all nine cases had prior natural infection and, in addition, were fully vaccinated, emphasizing the need to develop effective blocking vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco P Freire-Neto
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Getúlio Sales Diagnósticos, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Diego G Teixeira
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Dayse C S da Cunha
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Ingryd C Morais
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Celisa P M Tavares
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | | | | | - David C Dos Santos
- Instituto Metrópole Digital, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | | | - Selma M B Jeronimo
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Departmento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Doenças Tropicais, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
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13
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Oloye FF, Xie Y, Asadi M, Cantin J, Challis JK, Brinkmann M, McPhedran KN, Kristian K, Keller M, Sadowski M, Jones PD, Landgraff C, Mangat C, Fuzzen M, Servos MR, Giesy JP. Rapid transition between SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Delta and Omicron detected by monitoring municipal wastewater from three Canadian cities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022:acsestwater.1c00349. [PMID: 35716745 PMCID: PMC8887651 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00349&ref=pdf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the communal incidence of COVID-19 is important for both government and residents of an area to make informed decisions. However, continuous reliance on one means of monitoring might not be accurate because of biases introduced by government policies or behaviours of residents. Wastewater surveillance was employed to monitor concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw influent wastewater from wastewater treatment plants serving three Canadian Prairie cities with different population sizes. Data obtained from wastewater are not directly influenced by government regulations or behaviours of individuals. The means of three weekly samples collected using 24 h composite auto-samplers were determined. Viral loads were determined by RT-qPCR, and whole-genome sequencing was used to charaterize variants of concern (VOC). The dominant VOCs in the three cities were the same but with different proportions of sub-lineages. Sub-lineages of Delta were AY.12, AY.25, AY.27 and AY.93 in 2021, while the major sub-lineage of Omicron was BA.1 in January 2022, and BA.2 subsequently became a trace-level sub-variant then the predominant VOC. When each VOC was first detected varied among cities; However, Saskatoon, with the largest population, was always the first to present new VOCs. Viral loads varied among cities, but there was no direct correlation with population size, possibly because of differences in flow regimes. Population is one of the factors that affects trends in onset and development of local outbreaks during the pandemic. This might be due to demography or the fact that larger populations had greater potential for inter- and intra-country migration. Hence, wastewater surveillance data from larger cities can typically be used to indicate what to expect in smaller communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femi F Oloye
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Yuwei Xie
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Mohsen Asadi
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Jenna Cantin
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Jonathan K Challis
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kerry N McPhedran
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kevin Kristian
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Public Work Department, City of Prince Albert, Prince Albert, SK, Canada
| | - Mark Keller
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, City Operations, City of North Battleford, North Battleford, SK, Canada
| | - Mike Sadowski
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Saskatoon Water Department, City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Paul D Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Chrystal Landgraff
- Division of Enteric Diseases, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Chand Mangat
- Wastewater Surveillance Unit, National Microbiology Laboratory Winnipeg, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Meghan Fuzzen
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark R Servos
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA; Department of Zoology and Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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14
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Gularte JS, da Silva MS, Filippi M, Demoliner M, Schallenberger K, Hansen AW, de Abreu Góes Pereira VM, Heldt FH, Girardi V, Weber MN, de Almeida PR, Abbadi BL, Dornelles M, Bizarro CV, Machado P, Basso LA, Dellagostin OA, Fleck JD, Spilki FR. Viral isolation allows characterization of early samples of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B1.1.33 with unique mutations (S: H655Y and T63N) circulating in Southern Brazil in 2020. Braz J Microbiol 2022; 53:1313-1319. [PMID: 35778549 PMCID: PMC9428868 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00789-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Different approaches are in use to improve our knowledge about the causative agent of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Cell culture-based methods are the better way to perform viral isolation, evaluate viral infectivity, and amplify the virus. Furthermore, next-generation sequencing (NGS) have been essential to analyze a complete genome and to describe new viral species and lineages that have arisen over time. Four naso-oropharyngeal swab samples, collected from April to July of 2020, were isolated and sequenced aiming to produce viral stocks and analyze the mutational profile of the found lineage. B.1.1.33 was the lineage detected in all sequences. Although the samples belong to the same lineage, it was possible to evaluate different mutations found including some that were first described in these sequences, like the S:H655Y and T63N. The results described here can help to elicit how the pandemic started to spread and how it has been evolving in south Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Schons Gularte
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil.
| | - Mariana Soares da Silva
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Micheli Filippi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Meriane Demoliner
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Karoline Schallenberger
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Alana Witt Hansen
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | | | - Fágner Henrique Heldt
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Viviane Girardi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Matheus Nunes Weber
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Paula Rodrigues de Almeida
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Bruno Lopes Abbadi
- Centro de Pesquisas Em Biologia Molecular E Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90619900, Brazil
| | - Maiele Dornelles
- Centro de Pesquisas Em Biologia Molecular E Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90619900, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Valim Bizarro
- Centro de Pesquisas Em Biologia Molecular E Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90619900, Brazil
| | - Pablo Machado
- Centro de Pesquisas Em Biologia Molecular E Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90619900, Brazil
| | - Luiz Augusto Basso
- Centro de Pesquisas Em Biologia Molecular E Funcional (CPBMF), Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90619900, Brazil
| | - Odir Antonio Dellagostin
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Campus Universitário, Pelotas, RS, CEP 96010-900, Brazil
| | - Juliane Deise Fleck
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rosado Spilki
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade Feevale, Rodovia ERS-239, nº 2755, Vila Nova, Novo Hamburgo, RS, CEP 93525-075, Brazil
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15
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Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Tocantins State and the Diffusion of P.1.7 and AY.99.2 Lineages in Brazil. Viruses 2022; 14:v14040659. [PMID: 35458389 PMCID: PMC9031820 DOI: 10.3390/v14040659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tocantins is a state in the cross-section between the Central-West, North and Northeast regions of Brazilian territory; it is a gathering point for travelers and transportation from the whole country. In this study, 9493 genome sequences, including 241 local SARS-CoV-2 samples (collected from 21 December 2020, to 16 December 2021, and sequenced in the MinION platform) were analyzed with the following aims: (i) identify the relative prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the state of Tocantins; (ii) analyze them phylogenetically against global SARS-CoV-2 sequences; and (iii) hypothesize the viral dispersal routes of the two most abundant lineages found in our study using phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches. The performed analysis demonstrated that the majority of the strains sequenced during the period belong to the Gamma P.1.7 (32.4%) lineage, followed by Delta AY.99.2 (27.8%), with the first detection of VOC Omicron. As expected, there was mainly a dispersion of P.1.7 from the state of São Paulo to Tocantins, with evidence of secondary spreads from Tocantins to Goiás, Mato Grosso, Amapá, and Pará. Rio de Janeiro was found to be the source of AY.99.2 and from then, multiple cluster transmission was observed across Brazilian states, especially São Paulo, Paraiba, Federal District, and Tocantins. These data show the importance of trade routes as pathways for the transportation of the virus from Southeast to Northern Brazil.
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