1
|
Francisco RDS, Benites LF, Lamarca AP, de Almeida LGP, Hansen AW, Gularte JS, Demoliner M, Gerber AL, de C Guimarães AP, Antunes AKE, Heldt FH, Mallmann L, Hermann B, Ziulkoski AL, Goes V, Schallenberger K, Fillipi M, Pereira F, Weber MN, de Almeida PR, Fleck JD, Vasconcelos ATR, Spilki FR. Pervasive transmission of E484K and emergence of VUI-NP13L with evidence of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection events by two different lineages in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Virus Res 2021; 296:198345. [PMID: 33631222 PMCID: PMC7898980 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 lineages are under the spotlight of the media, scientific community and governments. Recent reports of novel variants in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil (B.1.1.28-E484K) have raised intense interest because of a possible higher transmission rate or resistance to the novel vaccines. Nevertheless, the spread of B.1.1.28 (E484K) and other variants in Brazil is still unknown. In this work, we investigated the population structure and genomic complexity of SARS-CoV-2 in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil. Most samples sequenced belonged to the B.1.1.28 (E484K) lineage, demonstrating its widespread dispersion. We were the first to identify two independent events of co-infection caused by the occurrence of B.1.1.28 (E484K) with either B.1.1.248 or B.1.91 lineages. Also, clustering analysis revealed the occurrence of a novel cluster of samples circulating in the state (named VUI-NP13L) characterized by 12 lineage-defining mutations. In light of the evidence for E484K dispersion, co-infection and emergence of VUI-NP13 L in Rio Grande do Sul, we reaffirm the importance of establishing strict and effective social distancing measures to counter the spread of potentially more hazardous SARS-CoV-2 strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - L Felipe Benites
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Alessandra P Lamarca
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Luiz G P de Almeida
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Alana Witt Hansen
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Meriane Demoliner
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Alexandra L Gerber
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula de C Guimarães
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil
| | | | - Fagner Henrique Heldt
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Larissa Mallmann
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruna Hermann
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ana Luiza Ziulkoski
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vyctoria Goes
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Micheli Fillipi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Francini Pereira
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Matheus Nunes Weber
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Juliane Deise Fleck
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular,Universidade Feevale, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ana Tereza R Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Bioinformática, Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Brazil.
| | | |
Collapse
|