Spike Gene Target Amplification in a Diagnostic Assay as a Marker for Public Health Monitoring of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants - United States, November 2021-January 2023.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
; 72(5): 125-127, 2023 Feb 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2226325
ABSTRACT
Monitoring emerging SARS-CoV-2 lineages and their epidemiologic characteristics helps to inform public health decisions regarding vaccine policy, the use of therapeutics, and health care capacity. When the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant emerged in late 2020, a spike gene (S-gene) deletion (Δ69-70) in the N-terminal region, which might compensate for immune escape mutations that impair infectivity (1), resulted in reduced or failed S-gene target amplification in certain multitarget reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, a pattern referred to as S-gene target failure (SGTF) (2). The predominant U.S. SARS-CoV-2 lineages have generally alternated between SGTF and S-gene target presence (SGTP), which alongside genomic sequencing, has facilitated early monitoring of emerging variants. During a period when Omicron BA.5-related sublineages (which exhibit SGTF) predominated, an XBB.1.5 sublineage with SGTP has rapidly expanded in the northeastern United States and other regions.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Public Health
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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