SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19
Zeinab Mohseni Afshar,
Ali Tavakoli Pirzaman,
Bardia Karim,
Shiva Rahimipour Anaraki,
Rezvan Hosseinzadeh,
Elaheh Sanjari Pireivatlou,
Arefeh Babazadeh,
Dariush Hosseinzadeh,
Seyed Rouhollah Miri,
Terence T. Sio,
Mark J. M. Sullman,
Mohammad Barary,
Soheil Ebrahimpour
Affiliations
Zeinab Mohseni Afshar
Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 51351, Iran
Ali Tavakoli Pirzaman
Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran
Bardia Karim
Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran
Shiva Rahimipour Anaraki
Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14535, Iran
Rezvan Hosseinzadeh
Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran
Elaheh Sanjari Pireivatlou
Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Amol 4615143358, Iran
Arefeh Babazadeh
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran
Dariush Hosseinzadeh
Bogomolets National Medical University, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
Seyed Rouhollah Miri
Cancer Research Center, Canicer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1419733151, Iran
Terence T. Sio
Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA
Mark J. M. Sullman
Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus
Mohammad Barary
Student Research Committee, Virtual School of Medical Education and Management, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839 69411, Iran
Soheil Ebrahimpour
Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran
Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been multiple peaks of the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus virus 2) infection, mainly due to the emergence of new variants, each with a new set of mutations in the viral genome, which have led to changes in the pathogenicity, transmissibility, and morbidity. The Omicron variant is the most recent variant of concern (VOC) to emerge and was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 26 November 2021. The Omicron lineage is phylogenetically distinct from earlier variants, including the previously dominant Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. The reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) test, rapid antigen assays, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans can help diagnose the Omicron variant. Furthermore, many agents are expected to have therapeutic benefits for those infected with the Omicron variant, including TriSb92, molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir, and their combination, corticosteroids, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blockers. Despite being milder than previous variants, the Omicron variant threatens many lives, particularly among the unvaccinated, due to its higher transmissibility, pathogenicity, and infectivity. Mounting evidence has reported the most common clinical manifestations of the Omicron variant to be fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe headache, and fatigue. This review summarizes the essential features of the Omicron variant, including its history, genome, transmissibility, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and the effectiveness of existing vaccines against this VOC.
