J Med Virol . Surveillance genome sequencing reveal multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the central Texas, USA with a predominance of Delta variant and review of vaccine breakthrough cases

[tetano]

J Med Virol


. 2021 Oct 1.
doi: 10.1002/jmv.27373. Online ahead of print.
Surveillance genome sequencing reveal multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the central Texas, USA with a predominance of Delta variant and review of vaccine breakthrough cases


Manohar B Mutnal ¹ , Shelby Johnson ¹ , Nada Mohamed ¹ , Rasha Abddelgader ¹ , Linden Morales ¹ , Marcus Volz ¹ , Kimberly Walker ¹ , Alejandro C Arroliga ² , Arundhati Rao ¹



Affiliations

• PMID: 34596257
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27373

Abstract

As surges in the COVID-19 pandemic have continued worldwide, SARS-CoV-2 has mutated, spawning several new variants, and impacting, to various degrees, transmission, disease severity, diagnostics, therapeutics, and natural and vaccine-induced immunity. Baylor Scott & White Health has implemented, along with laboratory diagnosis, SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to identify variants in its geographical service area. We analyzed virus sequencing results of specimens collected across Central Texas and found dramatic changes in variant distribution in the first half of 2021. The alpha variant (B 1.1.7) became predominant at week 13 and continued dominance until week 25. A growth rate of 1.20 (R² = 0.92) for the first 15 weeks was noted and this growth gradually declined to -0.55 (R² = 0.99) for the final 13 weeks. Currently, B.1.1.7 is being displaced with B.1.617.2 at 0.58 growth rate (R² = 0.97). We also investigated vaccine breakthrough cases (VBCs) within our healthcare system and present clinical data on 28 symptomatic patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Disease control; Genetic variation; Genetics; Vaccines/Vaccine strains; Virus classification.