Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil
The introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in Brazil has been associated with major impacts on the epidemiological and public health scenario. In this study, 291,571 samples were investigated for SARS-CoV-2 variants from August 2021 to March 2022 (the highest peak of positive cases) i...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
Series: | Viruses |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/4/1017 |
_version_ | 1827743393847967744 |
---|---|
author | Joice do Prado Silva Aline Brito de Lima Luige Biciati Alvim Frederico Scott Varella Malta Cristiane Pinheiro Toscano Brito Mendonça André Henrique Barbosa de Carvalho Jéssica Silqueira Hickson Rios Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca Daniel Costa Queiroz Luíza Campos Guerra de Araújo e Santos Alessandro Clayton de Souza Ferreira Renan Pedra de Souza Renato Santana de Aguiar Danielle Alves Gomes Zauli |
author_facet | Joice do Prado Silva Aline Brito de Lima Luige Biciati Alvim Frederico Scott Varella Malta Cristiane Pinheiro Toscano Brito Mendonça André Henrique Barbosa de Carvalho Jéssica Silqueira Hickson Rios Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca Daniel Costa Queiroz Luíza Campos Guerra de Araújo e Santos Alessandro Clayton de Souza Ferreira Renan Pedra de Souza Renato Santana de Aguiar Danielle Alves Gomes Zauli |
author_sort | Joice do Prado Silva |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in Brazil has been associated with major impacts on the epidemiological and public health scenario. In this study, 291,571 samples were investigated for SARS-CoV-2 variants from August 2021 to March 2022 (the highest peak of positive cases) in four geographical regions of Brazil. To identify the frequency, introduction, and dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 variants in 12 Brazilian capitals, VOCs defining spike mutations were identified in 35,735 samples through genotyping and viral genome sequencing. Omicron VOC was detected in late November 2021 and replaced the Delta VOC in approximately 3.5 weeks. We estimated viral load differences between SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron through the evaluation of the RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) score in 77,262 samples. The analysis demonstrated that the Omicron VOC has a lower viral load in infected patients than the Delta VOC. Analyses of clinical outcomes in 17,586 patients across the country indicated that individuals infected with Omicron were less likely to need ventilatory support. The results of our study reinforce the importance of surveillance programs at the national level and showed the introduction and faster dispersion of Omicron over Delta VOC in Brazil without increasing the numbers of severe cases of COVID-19. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:26:26Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-b6257a5b72e64722a758e970723f3e46 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1999-4915 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:26:26Z |
publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Viruses |
spelling | doaj.art-b6257a5b72e64722a758e970723f3e462023-11-17T21:47:01ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152023-04-01154101710.3390/v15041017Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in BrazilJoice do Prado Silva0Aline Brito de Lima1Luige Biciati Alvim2Frederico Scott Varella Malta3Cristiane Pinheiro Toscano Brito Mendonça4André Henrique Barbosa de Carvalho5Jéssica Silqueira Hickson Rios6Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca7Daniel Costa Queiroz8Luíza Campos Guerra de Araújo e Santos9Alessandro Clayton de Souza Ferreira10Renan Pedra de Souza11Renato Santana de Aguiar12Danielle Alves Gomes Zauli13Departamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Produtos e Inovação, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Integrativa, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilDepartamento de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Instituto Hermes Pardini, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, BrazilThe introduction of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in Brazil has been associated with major impacts on the epidemiological and public health scenario. In this study, 291,571 samples were investigated for SARS-CoV-2 variants from August 2021 to March 2022 (the highest peak of positive cases) in four geographical regions of Brazil. To identify the frequency, introduction, and dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 variants in 12 Brazilian capitals, VOCs defining spike mutations were identified in 35,735 samples through genotyping and viral genome sequencing. Omicron VOC was detected in late November 2021 and replaced the Delta VOC in approximately 3.5 weeks. We estimated viral load differences between SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron through the evaluation of the RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) score in 77,262 samples. The analysis demonstrated that the Omicron VOC has a lower viral load in infected patients than the Delta VOC. Analyses of clinical outcomes in 17,586 patients across the country indicated that individuals infected with Omicron were less likely to need ventilatory support. The results of our study reinforce the importance of surveillance programs at the national level and showed the introduction and faster dispersion of Omicron over Delta VOC in Brazil without increasing the numbers of severe cases of COVID-19.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/4/1017SARS-CoV-2variantsepidemiologic surveillanceCOVID-19viral loadsymptoms |
spellingShingle | Joice do Prado Silva Aline Brito de Lima Luige Biciati Alvim Frederico Scott Varella Malta Cristiane Pinheiro Toscano Brito Mendonça André Henrique Barbosa de Carvalho Jéssica Silqueira Hickson Rios Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca Daniel Costa Queiroz Luíza Campos Guerra de Araújo e Santos Alessandro Clayton de Souza Ferreira Renan Pedra de Souza Renato Santana de Aguiar Danielle Alves Gomes Zauli Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil Viruses SARS-CoV-2 variants epidemiologic surveillance COVID-19 viral load symptoms |
title | Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil |
title_full | Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil |
title_fullStr | Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil |
title_full_unstemmed | Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil |
title_short | Epidemiological Surveillance Reveals the Rise and Establishment of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Brazil |
title_sort | epidemiological surveillance reveals the rise and establishment of the omicron sars cov 2 variant in brazil |
topic | SARS-CoV-2 variants epidemiologic surveillance COVID-19 viral load symptoms |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/4/1017 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT joicedopradosilva epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT alinebritodelima epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT luigebiciatialvim epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT fredericoscottvarellamalta epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT cristianepinheirotoscanobritomendonca epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT andrehenriquebarbosadecarvalho epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT jessicasilqueirahicksonrios epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT paulaluizecamargosfonseca epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT danielcostaqueiroz epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT luizacamposguerradearaujoesantos epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT alessandroclaytondesouzaferreira epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT renanpedradesouza epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT renatosantanadeaguiar epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil AT daniellealvesgomeszauli epidemiologicalsurveillancerevealstheriseandestablishmentoftheomicronsarscov2variantinbrazil |