Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe
Our study aims to describe the global distribution and dispersal patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants. Genomic surveillance data were extracted from the CoV-Spectrum platform, searching for BA.1*, BA.2*, BA.3*, BA.4*, and BA.5* variants by geographic region. BA.1* increased in November 202...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/11/373 |
| _version_ | 1797463898429849600 |
|---|---|
| author | Ioannis Kopsidas Sofia Karagiannidou Evangelia Georgia Kostaki Dimitra Kousi Eirini Douka Petros P. Sfikakis Serafeim Moustakidis Christos Kokkotis Dimitrios Tsaopoulos Ioulia Tseti Theoklis Zaoutis Dimitrios Paraskevis |
| author_facet | Ioannis Kopsidas Sofia Karagiannidou Evangelia Georgia Kostaki Dimitra Kousi Eirini Douka Petros P. Sfikakis Serafeim Moustakidis Christos Kokkotis Dimitrios Tsaopoulos Ioulia Tseti Theoklis Zaoutis Dimitrios Paraskevis |
| author_sort | Ioannis Kopsidas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Our study aims to describe the global distribution and dispersal patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants. Genomic surveillance data were extracted from the CoV-Spectrum platform, searching for BA.1*, BA.2*, BA.3*, BA.4*, and BA.5* variants by geographic region. BA.1* increased in November 2021 in South Africa, with a similar increase across all continents in early December 2021. BA.1* did not reach 100% dominance in all continents. The spread of BA.2*, first described in South Africa, differed greatly by geographic region, in contrast to BA.1*, which followed a similar global expansion, firstly occurring in Asia and subsequently in Africa, Europe, Oceania, and North and South America. BA.4* and BA.5* followed a different pattern, where BA.4* reached high proportions (maximum 60%) only in Africa. BA.5* is currently, by Mid-August 2022, the dominant strain, reaching almost 100% across Europe, which is the first continent aside from Africa to show increasing proportions, and Asia, the Americas, and Oceania are following. The emergence of new variants depends mostly on their selective advantage, translated as enhanced transmissibility and ability to invade people with existing immunity. Describing these patterns is useful for a better understanding of the epidemiology of the VOCs’ transmission and for generating hypotheses about the future of emerging variants. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:57:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8de9374874d148b3af1457105782bf66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:57:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-8de9374874d148b3af1457105782bf662023-11-24T10:15:42ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662022-11-0171137310.3390/tropicalmed7110373Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the GlobeIoannis Kopsidas0Sofia Karagiannidou1Evangelia Georgia Kostaki2Dimitra Kousi3Eirini Douka4Petros P. Sfikakis5Serafeim Moustakidis6Christos Kokkotis7Dimitrios Tsaopoulos8Ioulia Tseti9Theoklis Zaoutis10Dimitrios Paraskevis11Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Outcomes Research (CLEO), 15451 Athens, GreeceNational Public Health Organisation (NPHO), 15123 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Hygiene Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, GreeceCenter for Clinical Epidemiology and Outcomes Research (CLEO), 15451 Athens, GreeceNational Public Health Organisation (NPHO), 15123 Athens, GreeceFirst Department of Propaedeutic and Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, GreeceAIDEAS OÜ, Narva mnt 5, 10117 Tallinn, EstoniaDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, 69100 Komotini, GreeceCenter for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute for Bio-Economy & Agri-Technology, 38333 Volos, GreeceUni-Pharma S.A., 14564 Kifissia, GreeceNational Public Health Organisation (NPHO), 15123 Athens, GreeceNational Public Health Organisation (NPHO), 15123 Athens, GreeceOur study aims to describe the global distribution and dispersal patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants. Genomic surveillance data were extracted from the CoV-Spectrum platform, searching for BA.1*, BA.2*, BA.3*, BA.4*, and BA.5* variants by geographic region. BA.1* increased in November 2021 in South Africa, with a similar increase across all continents in early December 2021. BA.1* did not reach 100% dominance in all continents. The spread of BA.2*, first described in South Africa, differed greatly by geographic region, in contrast to BA.1*, which followed a similar global expansion, firstly occurring in Asia and subsequently in Africa, Europe, Oceania, and North and South America. BA.4* and BA.5* followed a different pattern, where BA.4* reached high proportions (maximum 60%) only in Africa. BA.5* is currently, by Mid-August 2022, the dominant strain, reaching almost 100% across Europe, which is the first continent aside from Africa to show increasing proportions, and Asia, the Americas, and Oceania are following. The emergence of new variants depends mostly on their selective advantage, translated as enhanced transmissibility and ability to invade people with existing immunity. Describing these patterns is useful for a better understanding of the epidemiology of the VOCs’ transmission and for generating hypotheses about the future of emerging variants.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/11/373SARS-CoV-2coronavirusOmicronVOCepidemiologydistribution |
| spellingShingle | Ioannis Kopsidas Sofia Karagiannidou Evangelia Georgia Kostaki Dimitra Kousi Eirini Douka Petros P. Sfikakis Serafeim Moustakidis Christos Kokkotis Dimitrios Tsaopoulos Ioulia Tseti Theoklis Zaoutis Dimitrios Paraskevis Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus Omicron VOC epidemiology distribution |
| title | Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe |
| title_full | Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe |
| title_fullStr | Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe |
| title_short | Global Distribution, Dispersal Patterns, and Trend of Several Omicron Subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 across the Globe |
| title_sort | global distribution dispersal patterns and trend of several omicron subvariants of sars cov 2 across the globe |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus Omicron VOC epidemiology distribution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/11/373 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ioanniskopsidas globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT sofiakaragiannidou globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT evangeliageorgiakostaki globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT dimitrakousi globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT eirinidouka globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT petrospsfikakis globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT serafeimmoustakidis globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT christoskokkotis globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT dimitriostsaopoulos globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT iouliatseti globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT theokliszaoutis globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe AT dimitriosparaskevis globaldistributiondispersalpatternsandtrendofseveralomicronsubvariantsofsarscov2acrosstheglobe |