Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34207490›Full record

ArticleViruses2021

A Comprehensive Molecular Epidemiological Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cyprus from April 2020 to January 2021: Evidence of a Highly Polyphyletic and Evolving Epidemic.

Andreas C Chrysostomou, Bram Vrancken, George Koumbaris, George Themistokleous, Antonia Aristokleous, Christina Masia, Christina Eleftheriou, Costakis Iοannou, Dora C Stylianou, Marios Ioannides and 7 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Viruses, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

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  10. SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 lineage rapidly spreads and replaces R.1 lineage in Japan: Serial and stationary observation in a community.Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases · 2021
    Observational
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Andreas C ChrysostomouDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.
Bram VranckenDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-6547-5283
George KoumbarisNIPD Genetics Limited, Nicosia 2409, Cyprus.
George ThemistokleousMedical Laboratory of Ammochostos General Hospital, Ammochostos General Hospital, Paralimni 5386, Cyprus.
Antonia AristokleousDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.
Christina MasiaMedical Laboratory of Ammochostos General Hospital, Ammochostos General Hospital, Paralimni 5386, Cyprus.
Christina EleftheriouDepartment of Health and Safety, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.
Costakis IοannouMedical Laboratory of Ammochostos General Hospital, Ammochostos General Hospital, Paralimni 5386, Cyprus.
Dora C StylianouDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.
Marios IoannidesNIPD Genetics Limited, Nicosia 2409, Cyprus.
Panagiotis PetrouMedical Laboratory of Ammochostos General Hospital, Ammochostos General Hospital, Paralimni 5386, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0002-5104-579X
Vasilis GeorgiouDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0002-2342-5226
Amalia HatziyianniMedical Laboratory of Ammochostos General Hospital, Ammochostos General Hospital, Paralimni 5386, Cyprus.
Philippe LemeyDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Anne-Mieke VandammeDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-6594-2766
Philippos P PatsalisNIPD Genetics Limited, Nicosia 2409, Cyprus.
Leondios G KostrikisDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus.ORCID 0000-0002-5340-7109
University of Cyprus · CYPaphos General Hospital · CYRega Institute for Medical Research · BEMedicover Genetics (Cyprus)University of Nicosia · CY

Funding

European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation and the Structural Funds 2021-2027 Project: CONCEPT-COVID_0420_0024University of Cyprus Research Saves Lives campaign
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in an extraordinary global public health crisis. In early 2020, Cyprus, among other European countries, was affected by the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic and adopted lockdown measures in March 2020 to limit the initial outbreak on the island. In this study, we performed a comprehensive retrospective molecular epidemiological analysis (genetic, phylogenetic, phylodynamic and phylogeographic analyses) of SARS-CoV-2 isolates in Cyprus from April 2020 to January 2021, covering the first ten months of the SARS-CoV-2 infection epidemic on the island. The primary aim of this study was to assess the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Cyprus. Whole SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences were generated from 596 clinical samples (nasopharyngeal swabs) obtained from community-based diagnostic testing centers and hospitalized patients. The phylogenetic analyses revealed a total of 34 different lineages in Cyprus, with B.1.258, B.1.1.29, B.1.177, B.1.2, B.1 and B.1.1.7 (designated a Variant of Concern 202012/01, VOC) being the most prevalent lineages on the island during the study period. Phylodynamic analysis showed a highly dynamic epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with three consecutive surges characterized by specific lineages (B.1.1.29 from April to June 2020; B.1.258 from September 2020 to January 2021; and B.1.1.7 from December 2020 to January 2021). Genetic analysis of whole SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences of the aforementioned lineages revealed the presence of mutations within the S protein (L18F, ΔH69/V70, S898F, ΔY144, S162G, A222V, N439K, N501Y, A570D, D614G, P681H, S982A and D1118H) that confer higher transmissibility and/or antibody escape (immune evasion) upon the virus. Phylogeographic analysis indicated that the majority of imports and exports were to and from the United Kingdom (UK), although many other regions/countries were identified (southeastern Asia, southern Europe, eastern Europe, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Chile, the USA, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Finland, Switzerland and Pakistan). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 infection epidemic in Cyprus is being maintained by a continuous influx of lineages from many countries, resulting in the establishment of an ever-evolving and polyphyletic virus on the island.

Indexed as

Genome, ViralPhylogenyCommunicable Disease ControlCOVID-19CyprusEvolution, MolecularHumansMutationNasopharynxPhylogeographyRetrospective StudiesRNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2RNA, ViralCovid-19Cyprusmolecular epidemiologySARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID34207490
PMCPMC8227210
OpenAlexW3169922021

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.