Title of article :
Molecular Study of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Iranian Patients: A Multi-Center Study
Author/Authors :
Karbalaie Niya ، Mohammad Hadi Department of Virology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tabibzadeh ، Alireza Department of Virology - School of Medicine - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Yazdani ، Shaghayegh Department of Microbiology - Faculty of Medicine - Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch , Hormati ، Ahmad Department of Internal Medicine - Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine - Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Keshavarz ، Mohsen Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute - Bushehr University of Medical Sciences , Mousaei Ghasroldasht ، Mohammad Ariagebe Medical Genetic Laboratory , Khodadadi ، Javad Department of Infectious Disease - Qom University of Medical Sciences , Vaez ، Aysan Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Seif ، Faezeh Shoushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences , Mohebbi ، Elham School of System Biology - George Mason University , Safarnezhad Tameshkel ، Fahimeh Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Zamani ، Farhad Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Keyvani ، Hossein Department of Virology - School of Medicine, Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Rakhshani ، Nasser Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center - Iran University of Medical Sciences , Jamshidi Makiani ، Mahin Research Center, Institute of Immunology infectious Disease - Iran University of Medical sciences , Collaborative Authors Group ،
Abstract :
Background: Since the beginning of the recent pandemic in December 2019, the growing waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection have been a major concern. Also, SARS-CoV-2 itself is increasingly developing during the pandemic. The development of a virus leads to emergent mutations and might change the virus-host interaction. Objectives: The current study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of the circulating lineage of SARS-CoV-2 in Iranian COVID-19 patients. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, nasopharyngeal samples of 83 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, collected between December 2020 to May 2021 from multiple geographical locations in Iran, were studied. The nasopharyngeal samples were used for RNA extraction, and the extracted RNA was used for one-step RT-PCR analysis. Also, a specific primer pair for the spike was used for the amplification and sequencing via Sanger sequencing. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of the B 1.1.7 lineage of the SARS-CoV-2 variant after February 2020 in Iranian COVID-19 patients. The results showed some rare mutations, including M177I, I100C, I100T, L452R, N679K, Q173H, Y145H, A222V, and H49Y in evaluated samples. Conclusions: As a preliminarymulticenter study in Iran, our study indicated the dominancy of the B 1.1.7 lineage in Iranian COVID-19 patients after February 2020 in all the evaluated provinces. Furthermore, 11 isolates represented deletion mutations in positions 209-211 of the Spike protein, similar to the Omicron (21K) variant (211 del only reported in the Omicron 21K clade). Follow-up studies are recommended for more comprehensive results.
Keywords :
SARS , CoV2 , COVID , 19 , Respiratory Illness , Variant , Phylogenetic Analysis
Journal title :
Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology (JJM)
Journal title :
Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology (JJM)
