Genomic Epidemiology of the Main SARS-CoV-2 Variants Circulating in Italy During the Omicron Era.

ABSTRACT: Since early 2022 the Omicron variant has rapidly spread worldwide, becoming the dominant variant to date. The study aimed to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients and reconstruct the genomic epidemiology of main SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages in Italy in 2022. A total of 8970 SARS-CoV-2 samples were studied, and phylogenetic analyses were focused on BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 subvariants. More than half of subjects received three doses of vaccine and experienced a reinfection. A significant larger proportion of unvaccinated subjects presented reinfection compared with vaccinated. Clusters presented a tMRCA between September-November 2021 (BA.1), November 2021-January 2022 (BA.2), and October 2021-May 2022 (BA.5). R_e values showed the highest

SUBMITTER: Bergna A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11816846 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature