Project description:The second wave of COVID-19 occurred in South America in early 2021 and was mainly driven by Gamma and Lambda variants. In this study, we aimed to describe the emergence and local genomic diversity of the SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant in Argentina, from its initial entry into the country until its detection ceased. Molecular surveillance was conducted on 9356 samples from Argentina between October 2020 and April 2022, and sequencing, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic analyses were performed. Our findings revealed that the Lambda variant was first detected in Argentina in January 2021 and steadily increased in frequency until it peaked in April 2021, with continued detection throughout the year. Phylodynamic analyses showed that at least 18 introductions of the Lambda variant into the country occurred, with nine of them having evidence of onward local transmission. The spatial--temporal reconstruction showed that Argentine clades were associated with Lambda sequences from Latin America and suggested an initial diversification in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires before spreading to other regions in Argentina. Genetic analyses of genome sequences allowed us to describe the mutational patterns of the Argentine Lambda sequences and detect the emergence of rare mutations in an immunocompromised patient. Our study highlights the importance of genomic surveillance in identifying the introduction and geographical distribution of the SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant, as well as in monitoring the emergence of mutations that could be involved in the evolutionary leaps that characterize variants of concern.
Project description:The role of domestic cats in the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 remains poorly characterized, especially in epidemiologic contexts of countries with high viral transmission. Here, we report the first evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant of interest in symptomatic domestic cats whose owners were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Lima, Peru, providing evidence that transmission of this new variant in domestic cats is occurring. More epidemiological studies are required to further characterize the role of domestic animals in the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2.
Project description:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage C.37 (Lambda) has spread rapidly in Peru and other Latin American countries. However, most studies in Peru have focused on Lima, the capital city, without knowing the dynamics of the spread of the variant in other departments. Cusco, Peru, is one of the most popular departments in the country for tourists, so the introduction of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 might occur despite closure of the borders. Therefore, in this work, we analyzed the variants circulating in Cusco. The aim of this work was to better understand the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in Cusco and to characterize the genomes of these strains. To this end, 46 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from vaccinated and unvaccinated patients were sequenced in the first half of 2021. The genomes were analyzed using phylogenetic and natural selection methods. Phylogenetic trees from Cusco showed dominance of the Lambda lineage over the variants of concern (VOCs), and there was no clustering of variants by district. Natural selection analysis revealed mutations, mainly in the spike protein, at positions 75, 246, 247, 707, 769, and 1020. In addition, we found that unvaccinated patients accumulated more new mutations than did vaccinated patients, and these included the F101Y mutation in ORF7a, E419A in NSP3, a deletion in S (21,618-22,501), and a deletion in ORF3a (25,437-26,122).
Project description:Outbreaks from zoonotic sources represent a threat to both human disease as well as the global economy. Despite a wealth of metagenomics studies, methods to leverage these datasets to identify future threats are underdeveloped. In this study, we describe an approach that combines existing metagenomics data with reverse genetics to engineer reagents to evaluate emergence and pathogenic potential of circulating zoonotic viruses. Focusing on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like viruses, the results indicate that the WIV1-coronavirus (CoV) cluster has the ability to directly infect and may undergo limited transmission in human populations. However, in vivo attenuation suggests additional adaptation is required for epidemic disease. Importantly, available SARS monoclonal antibodies offered success in limiting viral infection absent from available vaccine approaches. Together, the data highlight the utility of a platform to identify and prioritize prepandemic strains harbored in animal reservoirs and document the threat posed by WIV1-CoV for emergence in human populations.
Project description:Accurate understanding of the global spread of emerging viruses is critical for public health responses and for anticipating and preventing future outbreaks. Here we elucidate when, where, and how the earliest sustained severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission networks became established in Europe and North America. Our results suggest that rapid early interventions successfully prevented early introductions of the virus from taking hold in Germany and the United States. Other, later introductions of the virus from China to both Italy and Washington state, United States, founded the earliest sustained European and North America transmission networks. Our analyses demonstrate the effectiveness of public health measures in preventing onward transmission and show that intensive testing and contact tracing could have prevented SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks from becoming established in these regions.
Project description:SARS-CoV-2 Lambda, a variant of interest, has spread in some South American countries; however, its virological features and evolutionary traits remain unclear. In this study, we use pseudoviruses and reveal that the spike protein of the Lambda variant is more infectious than that of other variants due to the T76I and L452Q mutations. The RSYLTPGD246-253N mutation, a unique 7-amino acid deletion in the N-terminal domain of the Lambda spike protein, is responsible for evasion from neutralizing antibodies and further augments antibody-mediated enhancement of infection. Although this mutation generates a nascent N-linked glycosylation site, the additional N-linked glycan is dispensable for the virological property conferred by this mutation. Since the Lambda variant has dominantly spread according to the increasing frequency of the isolates harboring the RSYLTPGD246-253N mutation, our data suggest that the RSYLTPGD246-253N mutation is closely associated with the substantial spread of the Lambda variant in South America.
Project description:The Lambda variants of interest (VOI) (C37/GR/452Q.V1/21G) was initially reported in Lima, Peru but has gained rapid dissemination through other Latin American countries. Nevertheless, the dissemination and molecular epidemiology of the Lambda VOI in Brazil is unknown apart from a single case report. In this respect, we characterized the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 Lambda VOI (C37/GR/452Q.V1/21G) in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. From March to June 2021, we identified seven Lambda isolates in a set of approximately 8000 newly sequenced genomes of the Network for Pandemic Alert of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants from Sao Paulo State. Interestingly, in three of the positive patients, the Lambda VOI infection was probably related to a contact transmission. These individuals were fully vaccinated to COVID-19 and presented mild symptoms. The remaining positive for Lambda VOI individuals showed different levels of COVID-19 symptoms and one of them needed hospitalization (score 5, WHO). In our study, we present a low level of Lambda VOI circulation in the Sao Paulo State. This reinforces the essential role of molecular surveillance for the effective SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response, especially in regard to circulating variants.