The First Identification in Italy of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4 Harboring KSF141_del: A Genomic Comparison with Omicron Sub-Variants.

ABSTRACT: The rapid emergence and worldwide detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant underscore the importance of robust genomic surveillance systems and prompt information sharing among global public health partners. The Omicron variant has rapidly replaced the Delta variant as a dominating SARS-CoV-2 variant because of natural selection, favoring the variant with higher infectivity and stronger vaccine breakthrough capability. The Omicron variant is also known as B.1.1.529. It has four sub-variants, indicated as BA.1, BA.2, BA.3 and BA.4. Among them, BA.1 is the currently prevailing sub-variant, and BA.2 has been found to be able to alarmingly re-infect patients initially infected by Omicron BA.1. The BA.3 sub-variant is a combination of mutations of BA.1 and BA.2, especially in the spike prote

SUBMITTER: Peronace C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9405011 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature