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http://ir.nhri.org.tw/handle/3990099045/14195
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Title: | Identification and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 alpha variants in the largest Taiwan COVID-19 outbreak in 2021 |
Other Titles: | Identification and analysis of SARS-CoV-2 α variants in the largest Taiwan COVID-19 outbreak in 2021 |
Authors: | Liu, LT;Tsai, JJ;Chang, K;Chen, CH;Lin, PC;Tsai, CY;Tsai, YY;Hsu, MC;Chuang, WL;Chang, JM;Hwang, SJ;Chong, IW |
Contributors: | National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center;National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology |
Abstract: | Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is believed to have originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019. Infection with this highly dangerous human-infecting coronavirus via inhalation of respiratory droplets from SARS-CoV-2 carriers results in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which features clinical symptoms such as fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and life-threatening pneumonia. Several COVID-19 waves arose in Taiwan from January 2020 to March 2021, with the largest outbreak ever having a high case fatality rate (CFR) (5.95%) between May and June 2021. In this study, we identified five 20I (alpha, V1)/B.1.1.7/GR SARS-CoV-2 (KMUH-3 to 7) lineage viruses from COVID-19 patients in this largest COVID-19 outbreak. Sequence placement analysis using the existing SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree revealed that KMUH-3 originated from Japan and that KMUH-4 to KMUH-7 possibly originated via local transmission. Spike mutations M1237I and D614G were identified in KMUH-4 to KMUH-7 as well as in 43 other alpha/B.1.1.7 sequences of 48 alpha/B.1.1.7 sequences deposited in GISAID derived from clinical samples collected in Taiwan between 20 April and July. However, M1237I mutation was not observed in the other 12 alpha/B.1.1.7 sequences collected between 26 December 2020, and 12 April 2021. We conclude that the largest COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan between May and June 2021 was initially caused by the alpha/B.1.1.7 variant harboring spike D614G + M1237I mutations, which was introduced to Taiwan by China Airlines cargo crew members. To our knowledge, this is the first documented COVID-19 outbreak caused by alpha/B.1.1.7 variant harboring spike M1237I mutation thus far. The largest COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan resulted in 13,795 cases and 820 deaths, with a high CFR, at 5.95%, accounting for 80.90% of all cases and 96.47% of all deaths during the first 2 years. The high CFR caused by SARS-CoV-2 alpha variants in Taiwan can be attributable to comorbidities and low herd immunity. We also suggest that timely SARS-CoV-2 isolation and/or sequencing are of importance in real-time epidemiological investigations and in epidemic prevention. The impact of G614G + M1237I mutations in the spike gene on the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading as well as on high CFR remains to be elucidated. |
Date: | 2022-04-25 |
Relation: | Frontiers in Medicine. 2022 Apr 25;9:Article number 869818. |
Link to: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.869818 |
JIF/Ranking 2023: | http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=NHRI&SrcApp=NHRI_IR&KeyISSN=2296-858X&DestApp=IC2JCR |
Cited Times(WOS): | https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000847301000001 |
Cited Times(Scopus): | https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85129885424 |
Appears in Collections: | [陳俊宏] 期刊論文 [其他] 期刊論文
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NIV2022042601.pdf | | 6280Kb | Adobe PDF | 310 | View/Open |
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