Introduction and Establishment of SARS-CoV-2 Gamma Variant in New York City in Early 2021.
Gamma variant
New York City
SARS-CoV-2
public health
travel restrictions
Journal
The Journal of infectious diseases
ISSN: 1537-6613
Titre abrégé: J Infect Dis
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0413675
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
13 12 2022
13 12 2022
Historique:
received:
11
05
2022
accepted:
28
06
2022
pubmed:
1
7
2022
medline:
16
12
2022
entrez:
30
6
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Monitoring the emergence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants is an important public health objective. We investigated how the Gamma variant was established in New York City (NYC) in early 2021 in the presence of travel restrictions that aimed to prevent viral spread from Brazil, the country where the variant was first identified. We performed phylogeographic analysis on 15 967 Gamma sequences sampled between 10 March and 1 May 2021, to identify geographic sources of Gamma lineages introduced into NYC. We identified locally circulating Gamma transmission clusters and inferred the timing of their establishment in NYC. We identified 16 phylogenetically distinct Gamma clusters established in NYC (cluster sizes ranged 2-108 genomes); most of them were introduced from Florida and Illinois and only 1 directly from Brazil. By the time the first Gamma case was reported by genomic surveillance in NYC on 10 March, the majority (57%) of circulating Gamma lineages had already been established in the city for at least 2 weeks. Although travel from Brazil to the United States was restricted from May 2020 through the end of the study period, this restriction did not prevent Gamma from becoming established in NYC as most introductions occurred from domestic locations.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Monitoring the emergence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants is an important public health objective. We investigated how the Gamma variant was established in New York City (NYC) in early 2021 in the presence of travel restrictions that aimed to prevent viral spread from Brazil, the country where the variant was first identified.
METHODS
We performed phylogeographic analysis on 15 967 Gamma sequences sampled between 10 March and 1 May 2021, to identify geographic sources of Gamma lineages introduced into NYC. We identified locally circulating Gamma transmission clusters and inferred the timing of their establishment in NYC.
RESULTS
We identified 16 phylogenetically distinct Gamma clusters established in NYC (cluster sizes ranged 2-108 genomes); most of them were introduced from Florida and Illinois and only 1 directly from Brazil. By the time the first Gamma case was reported by genomic surveillance in NYC on 10 March, the majority (57%) of circulating Gamma lineages had already been established in the city for at least 2 weeks.
CONCLUSIONS
Although travel from Brazil to the United States was restricted from May 2020 through the end of the study period, this restriction did not prevent Gamma from becoming established in NYC as most introductions occurred from domestic locations.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35771664
pii: 6623495
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac265
pmc: PMC9278250
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2142-2149Subventions
Organisme : NIAID NIH HHS
ID : U01 AI151812
Pays : United States
Organisme : NIAID NIH HHS
ID : U19 AI135995
Pays : United States
Organisme : NIH HHS
ID : AI135992
Pays : United States
Organisme : CDC HHS
ID : 75D30120C09795
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Potential conflicts of interest. K. G. A. has received consulting fees for advising on SARS-CoV-2, variants, and the COVID-19 pandemic. J. O. W. has received funding from the CDC (ongoing) via contracts and agreements to his institution unrelated to this research. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.