Virus Research (Nov 2022)

Genomic and epidemiologic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Southern Brazil and identification of a new Omicron-L452R sublineage

  • Mariana Soares da Silva,
  • Juliana Schons Gularte,
  • Micheli Filippi,
  • Meriane Demoliner,
  • Viviane Girardi,
  • Ana Cristina Sbaraini Mosena,
  • Vyctoria Malayhka de Abreu Góes Pereira,
  • Alana Witt Hansen,
  • Matheus Nunes Weber,
  • Paula Rodrigues de Almeida,
  • Juliane Deise Fleck,
  • Andrea Gurgel Batista Leite Dal Bó,
  • Marcus Herbert Jones,
  • Frederico Friedrich,
  • Luiz Amorim Filho,
  • Fábio Klamt,
  • Fernando Rosado Spilki

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 321
p. 198907

Abstract

Read online

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.

Keywords