Emergence of the First Strains of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in Romania: Genomic Analysis

Andrei Lobiuc; Mihai Dimian; Olga Sturdza; Roxana Filip; Mihai Covasa

doi:10.2196/28049

Emergence of the First Strains of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in Romania: Genomic Analysis

JMIRx Med. 2021 Aug 13;2(3):e28049. doi: 10.2196/28049. eCollection 2021 Jul-Sep.

Authors

Andrei Lobiuc¹, Mihai Dimian^{2

3}, Olga Sturdza^{1

4}, Roxana Filip^{1

4}, Mihai Covasa¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Health and Development College of Physical Exercise and Sport Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava Suceava Romania.
² Department of Computers, Electronics and Automation College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava Suceava Romania.
³ Integrated Center for Research, Development and Innovation in Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies, and Distributed Systems for Fabrication and Control Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava Suceava Romania.
⁴ Suceava County Emergency Hospital Suceava Romania.

PMID: 34424256
PMCID: PMC8363123
DOI: 10.2196/28049

Abstract

Background: The United Kingdom reported the emergence of a new and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.7) that rapidly spread to other countries. The impact of this new mutation-which occurs in the S protein-on infectivity, virulence, and current vaccine effectiveness is still under evaluation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to sequence SARS-CoV-2 samples of cases in Romania to detect the B.1.1.7 variant and compare these samples with sequences submitted to GISAID.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2 samples were sequenced and amino acid substitution analysis was performed using the CoV-GLUE platform.

Results: We have identified the first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in samples collected from Romanian patients, of which one was traced to the region of the United Kingdom where the new variant was originally sequenced. Mutations in nonstructural protein 3 (Nsp3; N844S and D455N) and ORF3a (L15F) were also detected, indicating common ancestry with UK strains as well as remote connections with strains from Nagasaki, Japan.

Conclusions: These results indicate, for the first time, the presence and characteristics of the new variant B.1.1.7 in Romania and underscore the need for increased genomic sequencing in patients with confirmed COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Romania; case study; epidemiology; genetics; genome; impact; infectious disease; lineage; mutation; sequencing; spread; strain; transmission; variant; virology; virus.

©Andrei Lobiuc, Mihai Dimian, Olga Sturdza, Roxana Filip, Mihai Covasa. Originally published in JMIRx Med (https://med.jmirx.org), 13.08.2021.