Comments on a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of interest detected in Africa, including information from a non-peer-reviewed article not yet published

19/04/2021

The article – A novel SARS-CoV-2 variant of interest, with multiple spike mutations, detected through travel
surveillance in Africa – a preprint not yet peer reviewed, reporting on Angola's first genomic surveillance results
through March 2021, was developed by a group of researchers from the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and
Sequencing Platform, of the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban,
South Africa.


In this article, researchers note that, at the end of 2020, the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa
detected a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (501Y.V2, of the PANGO B.1.351 lineage), which is associated with
increased transmissibility and resistance to neutralizing antibodies caused by natural infection and vaccination. Since
then, variant 501Y.V2 has spread to more than 50 countries worldwide, and has contributed to a significant
resurgence of the epidemic in southern Africa.


In March 2021, a variant of interest (VOI) was detected in three travelers from Tanzania, designated temporarily as
A.VOI.V2, which has 31 amino acid substitutions (11 at spikes) and three deletions (all at spikes). Spike mutations
include three substitutions in the receptor-binding domain (R346K, T478R, and E484K); five substitutions and three
deletions in the N-terminal domain; and two substitutions adjacent to the S1/S2 cleavage site (H655Y and P681H).
Researchers consider this finding to be a new VOI, due to the diversity of mutations with known or suspected
biological significance, specifically in relation to neutralizing antibody resistance and potentially increased
transmissibility. In addition, the authors point out that urgent research is needed to prevent the spread of the virus
inside and outside the country.


Source: De Oliveira T, et al. A novel variant of interest of SARS-CoV-2 with multiple spike mutations detected
through travel surveillance in Africa. Medrxvid. 4/4/2021.

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