UT Southwestern detects first reported B.1.617.2 (Indian) variant in North Texas
Published on:May 20, 2021
DALLAS ? May 20, 2021 ? UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have identified the first two cases of the B.1.617.2 (Indian origin) variant of COVID-19 infection in North Texas using next-generation sequencing technologies along with targeted PCR testing.
UT Southwestern sequencing protocols show the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) remains dominant in North Texas ? found in about 70 percent of sampled individuals ? followed by the Indian (B.1.617.2) and Brazil variants (P.1) found in 6 percent. The California (B.1.429) and New York (B.1.526) variants remain at about 3 percent of sampled individuals.
?An important part of forecasting is predicting how quickly the disease will spread, so knowing which variants are prevalent helps us make more accurate models,? says SoRelle, whose research is part of UT Southwestern?s Genomics and Molecular Pathology. Transmissibility rates of the variants range from 20 percent to more than 50 percent. Though more data is needed, the B.1.617.2 variant may be up to 50 percent more transmissible than the B.1.1.7 variant. For example, in the United Kingdom, although they have been exposed to all variants of concern, the B.1.617.2 variant is the only one to show increased prevalence against the B.1.1.7 strain. Transmissibility for the P.1 variant is currently not well documented, but may be up to two times more transmissible.
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https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2021/indian-variant-in-north-texas.html
Published on:May 20, 2021
DALLAS ? May 20, 2021 ? UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have identified the first two cases of the B.1.617.2 (Indian origin) variant of COVID-19 infection in North Texas using next-generation sequencing technologies along with targeted PCR testing.
UT Southwestern sequencing protocols show the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7) remains dominant in North Texas ? found in about 70 percent of sampled individuals ? followed by the Indian (B.1.617.2) and Brazil variants (P.1) found in 6 percent. The California (B.1.429) and New York (B.1.526) variants remain at about 3 percent of sampled individuals.
- B.1.1.7 (U.K.): n=24 (70%)
- B.1.617.2 (Indian): n=2 (6%)
- P.1 (Brazil): n=2 (6%)
- B.1.429 (California): n=1 (3%)
- B.1.526 (New York): n=1 (3%)
?An important part of forecasting is predicting how quickly the disease will spread, so knowing which variants are prevalent helps us make more accurate models,? says SoRelle, whose research is part of UT Southwestern?s Genomics and Molecular Pathology. Transmissibility rates of the variants range from 20 percent to more than 50 percent. Though more data is needed, the B.1.617.2 variant may be up to 50 percent more transmissible than the B.1.1.7 variant. For example, in the United Kingdom, although they have been exposed to all variants of concern, the B.1.617.2 variant is the only one to show increased prevalence against the B.1.1.7 strain. Transmissibility for the P.1 variant is currently not well documented, but may be up to two times more transmissible.
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https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2021/indian-variant-in-north-texas.html