key: cord-0873598-y2zd8kmg
authors: Yadav, Pragya D.; Nyayanit, Dimpal A.; Sahay, Rima R.; Shete, Anita M.; Majumdar, Triparna; Patil, Savita; Patil, Deepak Y.; Gupta, Nivedita; Kaur, Harmanmeet; Aggarwal, Neeraj; Vijay, Neetu; Narayan, Jitendra; Nikam, Chaitali; Pethani, Jayshri
title: Imported SARS-CoV-2 V501Y.V2 variant (B.1.351) detected in travelers from South Africa and Tanzania to India
date: 2021-03-14
journal: Travel Med Infect Dis
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102023
sha: a1c6d1520f72e63cb53bb48f5d7cf226e8b5eddc
doc_id: 873598
cord_uid: y2zd8kmg

nan

The SARS-CoV-2 has been continuously mutating, leading to the emergence of new variant strains since the emergence of the pandemic (2020-21). The first SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20I/501Y.V1 (B.1.1.7 Pangolin lineage) was reported from the United Kingdom (UK) which had 14 mutations and three amino acid deletions that influence the transmissibility of the virus in humans [1] . Subsequently, the emergence of new variants V501Y.V2 and 20J/501Y.V3 was also reported from South Africa [2] and Brazil [3] respectively. Although the 50% increased transmissibility has been observed with V501Y.V2, the clinical severity associated with the variant is not known. The variant strains of SARS-CoV-2 have raised serious concerns related to their increased transmissibility and also their ability to evade the immune response elicited by available S gene-based vaccines [3] . The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported a resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in few countries due to the emergence of the variant strains. (T265I, K1655N and K3353R), spike (L18F, D80A, E484K, N501Y, D614, and A701), ORF3a (S17L) and N (P17L and T208I) proteins. The variation in the nucleotide along with the phylogenetic tree was generated using the highlighter plot (https://www.hiv.lanl.gov/cgi-bin/HIGHLIGHT/highlighter.cgi) (Figure 1 ).

All the four sequences belonged to the "GH' clade, according to GISAID nomenclature.

Presently in India, multiple SARS-CoV-2 clades have been identified to be circulating [6] .

The 'G' clade and its variants (GH and GR) were found to be predominant in the country [6] .

The presence of this South Africa V501Y.V2 in travelers has alerted the country and dense search of these variants is in focus now during diagnosis and sequencing in those where cases are suddenly rising after a control situation in-country now.

Genetic mutations are part of the natural life cycle of RNA viruses hence, reducing the spread of new variant strains of SARS-CoV-2, using already established pandemic control measures should be the key approach to control further transmission. This will curtail the opportunity of the virus to mutate further. Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 should be continued to monitor the emergence and spread of new variant strains. This will enable the policymakers to make evidence-based decisions for curtailing the spread of the variant strains. 

Preliminary genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in the UK defined by a novel set of spike mutations

Emergence and rapid spread of a new severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage with multiple spike mutations in South Africa

Resurgence of COVID-19 in Manaus, Brazil, despite high seroprevalence

Isolation and characterization of VUI-202012/01, a SARS-CoV-2 variant in travellers from the United Kingdom to India

NGS-enrichment-coronavirus-app-note

Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 strains among Indians returning from Italy, Iran & China, & Italian tourists in India

VOC from International travelers arrived in India: The aligned SARS-CoV-2 sequences retrieved from the clinical samples of COVID-Financial support was provided by the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi, to ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune for project 'Molecular epidemiological analysis of SARS-COV-2 circulating in different regions of India

The authors gratefully acknowledge the encouragement and support extended by Prof. 

A conflicting interest exists when professional judgement concerning a primary interest (such as patient's welfare or the validity of research) may be influenced by a secondary interest (such as financial gain or personal rivalry). It may arise for the authors when they have financial interest that may influence their interpretation of their results or those of others. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, patent applications/registrations, and grants or other funding.

All sources of funding should also be acknowledged and you should declare any involvement of study sponsors in the study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; the writing of the manuscript; the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. If the study sponsors had no such involvement, this should be stated.