Clinical outcomes and phylogenetic analysis in reflection with three predominant clades of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants

Abstract

BackgroundThe pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) undergoes continuous evolution, resulting in the emergence of several variants. Each variant has a different severity and mortality rate.Materials and MethodsIn this study, 1174 COVID‐19 patients were studied for mortality and severity over three SARS‐CoV‐2 predominating variant periods in 2021 and 2022 in Sulaimani Province, Iraq. In each period, a representative, variant virus was subjected to phylogenetic and molecular and clinical analysis.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis revealed three SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, belonging to: Delta B.1.617.2, Omicron BA.1.17.2, and Omicron BA.5.6. The Delta variants showed more severe symptoms and a lower PCR‐Ct value than Omicron variants regardless of gender, and only 4.3% of the cases were asymptomatic. The mortality rate was lower with Omicron (.5% for BA.5.2 and 1.3% for BA.1.17.2) compared with Delta variants (2.5%). The higher mortality rate with Delta variants was in males (2.84%), while that with Omicron BA1.17.2 and BA.5.2 was in females, 1.05% and .0%, respectively. Age group (≥70) years had the highest mortality rate; however, it was (.0%) in the age group (30–49) years with Omicron variants, compared with (.96%) in Delta variants.ConclusionsThere has been a surge in COVID‐19 infection in the city due to the predominant lineages of SARS‐CoV‐2, B.1.617, Omicron BA.1.17.2 and Omicron BA.5.6, respectively. A higher PCR‐Ct value and severity of the Delta variant over Omicron BA.1.17.2 and/or BA.5.2 variants were significantly correlated with a higher death rate in the same order.

Psychosocial Factors Influencing Vaccine Hesitancy: A Study in the Context of COVID-19

“…The absence of political polarization and access barriers in our survey sample highlights the need for tailored interventions targeting speci c hesitancy factors. Furthermore, the signi cant differences in biological markers post-vaccination emphasize the importance of monitoring individuals' physiological responses to vaccines [25]. Such data can inform healthcare professionals and policymakers about potential side effects, aiding in the development of strategies to mitigate adverse reactions and promote vaccine safety [26].…”

Response to comments to the editor on “Disease severity and efficacy of homologous vaccination among patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 Delta or Omicron VOCs, compared to unvaccinated using main biomarkers”

“…We did not We also confirmed our published article with a new study regarding three different clades of SARS-CoV-2 variants published recently by our team in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2 Comment 8: Eighth, the discussion section was poorly written that contains many grammatical and terminological errors. For examples, sentence "SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) observed the largest number of mutations……" is not clear.…”

“…Moreover, as part of the same research group, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of three predominant clades of SARS-CoV-2 variants in a recently published article. 2 This allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the genetic evolution of the virus and its spread. The combination of RT-PCR, genetic identification, and phylogenetic analysis techniques has provided us with robust data to investigate the severity and efficacy of vaccinations against different variants of SARS-CoV-2.…”

Assessing the Reasons and Adverse Effects of Self-Medication in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sierra Leone. A Case Study of Moriba Town Section

“…The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 triggered a worldwide health disaster of unmatched magnitude [1][2][3] accompanied by the virus's overwhelming mortality and morbidity. 4 The virus's fast spread, coupled with the absence of urgent treatment approaches, has left healthcare systems throughout the world struggling with an increasing number of cases and fatalities. [5][6][7][8][9] Countries implemented broad lockdowns, quarantine measures, and outreach initiatives in response to this global health emergency to mitigate the virus's spread.…”