International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Nov 2021)
Real-Time SARS-CoV-2 Genotyping by High-Throughput Multiplex PCR Reveals the Epidemiology of the Variants of Concern in Qatar
- Mohammad R. Hasan,
- Mahesh K.R. Kalikiri,
- Faheem Mirza,
- Sathyavathi Sundararaju,
- Anju Sharma,
- Thabisile Xaba,
- Stephan Lorenz,
- Hiam Chemaitelly,
- Reham A. El-Kahlout,
- Kin Ming Tsui,
- Hadi M. Yassine,
- Peter V. Coyle,
- Abdullatif Al Khal,
- Roberto Bertollini,
- Mohamed H. Al Thani,
- Laith J. Abu-Raddad,
- Patrick Tang
Affiliations
- Mohammad R. Hasan
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, Qatar; Corresponding author: Mohammad Rubayet Hasan, PhD, D(ABMM), FCCM. Clinical Molecular Microbiologist, Pathology Sciences, Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Level 2M, Office H2M-24093, PO BOX 26999, Doha, Qatar. Tel.: +974 4003 2996; +974 3003 5501.
- Mahesh K.R. Kalikiri
- Department of Research, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Faheem Mirza
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Sathyavathi Sundararaju
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Anju Sharma
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Thabisile Xaba
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Stephan Lorenz
- Department of Research, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Hiam Chemaitelly
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Doha, Qatar
- Reham A. El-Kahlout
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Kin Ming Tsui
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Hadi M. Yassine
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Peter V. Coyle
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Welcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queens University, Belfast, UK
- Abdullatif Al Khal
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Roberto Bertollini
- Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
- Mohamed H. Al Thani
- Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
- Laith J. Abu-Raddad
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Doha, Qatar
- Patrick Tang
- Department of Pathology, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, Doha, Qatar
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 112
pp. 52 – 54
Abstract
Complementing whole genome sequencing strategies with high-throughput multiplex RT-qPCR genotyping allows for more comprehensive and real-time tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. During the second and third waves of COVID-19 in Qatar, PCR genotyping, combined with Sanger sequencing of un-typeable samples, was employed to describe the epidemiology of the Alpha, Beta and Delta variants. A total of 9792 nasopharyngeal PCR-positive samples collected between April-June 2021 were successfully genotyped, revealing the importation and transmission dynamics of these three variants in Qatar.
