What are the variants of covid-19 that are known around the world and which have arrived in Argentina? | WHO has detected 11 mutations so far.

As the coronavirus vaccination campaign progresses around the world, World Health Organization (WHO) monitor SARS-CoV-2 mutations to control their spread, among other things, and To date, they have identified eleven variants.

The international body, in collaboration with partners, networks of experts, national authorities, institutions and researchers, has been monitoring and evaluating the evolution of the virus since January 2020 and distinguishing between “Variants of interest” (VOI) and the “Concerning the variants” (VOC).

The aim is to prioritize surveillance and research on a global scale, assessing the severity of associated disease or the effectiveness of vaccines, drugs for treatment, diagnostic tools or other public health measures and social.

the disturbing variants are those associated with one or more of the following changes to a degree significant to global public health: increased transmissibility or a harmful change in the epidemiology of covid-19; increased virulence or change in the clinical presentation of the disease; or decrease in the effectiveness of social and public health measures or diagnostic tools, vaccines and treatments available.

According to data updated as of June 15, 2021, those identified as Alpha (UK), Beta (South Africa), Gamma (Brazil) and Delta (India).

On the other hand, a variant is envisaged “of interest” (VOI) if, compared to a reference isolate, its genome presents mutations with proven or suspected phenotypic implications, and either: it has been identified as a cause of community transmission or multiple cases / groups of covid-19, or has been detected in more than one country; or if WHO, in consultation with the WHO SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution Working Group, has determined that it is a VOI.

Among these are Epsilon (United States), Zeta (Brazil), Eta (several countries), Theta (Philippines), Iota (United States), Kappa (India) and Lambda (Peru).

Situation of variants in Argentina

The PAIS Project Consortium –created by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation- released the latest SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance report, corresponding to the period between April 2 and May 19 of this year, and showed that in a sample of 389 cases among residents of CABA, Province of Buenos Aires, Neuquén, Entre Ríos, Córdoba and Santa Fe, a greater circulation of strains of Manau (Gamma) Yes Andean (Lambda, and stabilization in the variant of United Kingdom (Alpha), whereas until then there had been no reports on strains from South Africa (Beta) and India (Delta). However, the Ministry of Health has updated this information in the last few hours, confirming the third and fourth cases of the Delta variant in the country, but without community circulation.

PAIS study reveals 45 cases of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7, United Kingdom). Of these, nine correspond to CABA, 16 to GBA (four from GBA North and 12 from GBA West), four within PBA and two cases of AMBA with no defined origin.

In addition, nine cases corresponded to the province of Entre Ríos, one case to the province of Neuquén and four cases to the province of Santa Fe. With the exception of the case of Neuquén, the cases correspond to people with no travel history. abroad. or close contact with travelers.

In the case of Gamma variant (P.1, Manaus), 181 cases were identified. Of these, 51 cases are from CABA, 52 cases from GBA (nine from GBA North, 17 from GBA West and 26 from GBA South) and 12 from inside PBA. At this point, 13 cases corresponded to the province of Entre Ríos, 24 cases to the province of Neuquén, 14 cases to the province of Santa Fe and 13 cases to the province of Córdoba.

All of these cases are linked to infections of people without a history of travel abroad or close contact with travelers. In the province of Cordoba, two cases have been detected in people with a history of travel to Paraguay and Brazil.

Likewise, the combination of mutations compatible with Lineage C.37 or “Andean variant” (S_L452Q, S_F490S and nucleotide change synonym c2169t) in a total of 127 cases. Of these, 50 cases are from CABA, 56 cases from GBA (five from GBA North, 19 from GBA West and 32 from GBA South), four from inside PBA.

In this analysis, two cases appeared in the province of Entre Ríos, six cases in the province of Neuquén and seven cases in the province of Córdoba. All these cases correspond to infections of individuals without a history of travel abroad or of close contact with travelers, with the exception of two cases from the province of Cordoba which presented with a history of travel to Mexico and the Republic. Dominican.

“It is very important to underline that an increase in the frequency of detection of Gamma variants (P.1, Manaus) and of the C.37 line (Andina) has been observed. and a stabilization of the frequency of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7, United Kingdom) in AMBA during the last epidemiological weeks in cases with no epidemiological link with tourism abroad ”, notes the survey.

On the other hand, it is reported that “so far, out of a total of 2238 samples analyzed by active surveillance by Spike or whole genome sequencing, the most detected variants were the C.37 line (Andean variant) in 412 cases and the gamma variant (P.1, Manaus) in 398 cases “.

And concludes: “The PAIS project considers that the C.37 line (Andean variant) must be considered at least as a VARIANT OF REGIONAL INTEREST, given the sustained increase in its frequency of detection in the AMBA region during the last epidemiological weeks. . as has also been observed in countries in the region such as Peru and Chile ”.