Diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants preceded the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Croatia

Arch Virol. 2021 Jun;166(6):1735-1739. doi: 10.1007/s00705-021-05029-7. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Abstract

We developed a next-generation SARS-CoV-2 sequencing platform and obtained the first SARS-CoV-2 sequences from patients in Croatia at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the spring of 2020. Integrating the sequencing and the epidemiological data, we show that patients were infected with different SARS-CoV-2 variants belonging to different clades (mostly G and GH). This result confirms that there was widespread virus transmission early in 2020. Interestingly, we identified a unique mutation resulting in a V13I substitution in Nsp5A, the main viral protease, in a patient who had not received antiviral therapy.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology*
  • COVID-19 / virology*
  • Coronavirus 3C Proteases / chemistry
  • Croatia / epidemiology
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genome, Viral
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Conformation
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics*
  • Whole Genome Sequencing

Substances

  • Coronavirus 3C Proteases