Cocirculation and replacement of SARS-CoV-2 variants in crowded settings and marginalized populations along the US-Mexico border.
SALUD PUBLICA DE MEXICO 2023;
65:10-18. [PMID:
36750073 PMCID:
PMC10291843 DOI:
10.21149/13980]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To interrogate the circulating SARS-CoV-2 lin-eages and recombinant variants in persons living in migrant shelters and persons who inject drugs (PWID).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We combined data from two studies with marginalized populations (migrants in shelters and persons who inject drugs) in Tijuana, Mexico. SARS-CoV-2 variants were identified on nasal swabs specimens and compared to publicly available genomes sampled in Mexico and California.
RESULTS
All but 2 of the 10 lineages identified were predomi-nantly detected in North and Central America. Discrepan-cies between migrants and PWID can be explained by the temporal emergence and short time span of most of these lineages in the region.
CONCLUSION
The results illustrate the temporo-spatial structure for SARS-CoV-2 lineage dispersal and the potential co-circulation of multiple lineages in high-risk populations with close social contacts. These conditions create the potential for recombination to take place in the California-Baja California border.
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