Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41513994›Full record

ArticleCommunications medicine2026

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru from 2020 to 2024.

Benjamin Sobkowiak, Amy Langdon, Pedro E Romero, Gabriel Carrasco-Escobar, Diego Villa, Renato Cava Miller, Víctor Cornejo Villanueva, Alejandra Dávila-Barclay, Diego Cuicapuza, Guillermo Salvatierra and 26 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

36 authors.

Benjamin SobkowiakSimon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1382-1137
Amy LangdonSimon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada.
Pedro E RomeroUniversidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9947-3868
Gabriel Carrasco-EscobarUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6945-0419
Diego VillaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Renato Cava MillerUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Víctor Cornejo VillanuevaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6144-7450
Alejandra Dávila-BarclayUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5914-7774
Diego CuicapuzaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Guillermo SalvatierraUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Luis GonzálezUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Brenda AyzanoaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Janet HuancachoqueUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Pool Marcos-CarbajalUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Juan Carlos Gómez de la TorreSequence Reference Lab, Lima, Peru.
Claudia BarlettaSequence Reference Lab, Lima, Peru.
Stella M ChenetUniversidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru.
Rafael Tapia-LimonchiUniversidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza, Amazonas, Peru.
Jorge BallónUniversidad Nacional de San Agustín, Arequipa, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2765-9273
Patrick FernándezUniversidad Nacional de San Agustín, Arequipa, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2048-4183
Rosario ValderramaUniversidad Nacional de San Agustín, Arequipa, Peru.
Mariana LeguíaPontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7297-0263
Christopher Delgado-RattoUniversity of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2300-5181
Eduardo GotuzzoUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
Carlos ZamudioUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7479-127X
Willy LescanoUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9779-633X
César CárcamoUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2495-2490
Verónica HurtadoInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Priscila Lope-PariInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Carlos Padilla-RojasInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Víctor Jiménez-VásquezInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Oscar Escalante-MaldonadoInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Roger V Araujo-CastilloInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3740-1962
César CabezasInstituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Peru.
Caroline ColijnSimon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada.
Pablo TsukayamaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru. pablo.tsukayama@upch.pe.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1669-2553

Funding

Peru Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Research Training ConsortiumD43TW007393 · FIC · UNIVERSIDAD PERUANA CAYETANO HEREDIA · PI Andres G Lescano · 2005 to 2026
$5.9M
CONCYTEC | Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico, Tecnológico y de Innovación Tecnológica (Cienciactiva) PE501086419-2024FIC NIH HHS D43 TW007393U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) GH00266U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | Fogarty International Center (FIC) D43TW007393Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeru recorded one of the world's highest COVID-19 mortality rates, with nearly 4.5 million reported cases and 220,000 deaths by March 2024. Understanding the emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants in this context is key to informing effective public health responses. This study describes the genomic diversity, transmission dynamics, and geographic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Peru from 2020 to 2024.

methodsWe analyzed nearly 50,000 high-quality public SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences collected nationwide between March 2020 and March 2024. Phylogeographic and mutational analyses were performed to identify variant lineages, trace their origins, and map viral movements within and beyond Peru.

resultsWe show that Peru's epidemic waves were shaped by the emergence of locally evolved variants, including Lambda (C.37), Gamma (P.1.12), and Omicron (XBB.2.6 and DJ.1) sub-lineages. The city of Lima acted as the primary hub for inter-regional spread, accounting for 47.3% of inferred viral movements to other departments, notably Ancash, Cusco, and Piura. Peru was the source of various lineages that spread internationally, primarily to Chile, the USA, and Europe. Mutational analysis highlighted critical mutations in the spike protein, including L452Q and F490S in Lambda, associated with immune evasion and increased transmissibility.

conclusionsThis work demonstrates the capacity of genomic surveillance in Peru to detect and track emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, providing insights into regional and global transmission dynamics in a high-transmission, middle-income country setting. Sustained, cost-effective genomic monitoring, combined with strengthened bioinformatics and laboratory capacity, is essential for pandemic preparedness in resource-limited settings.

Identifiers

PMID41513994
PMCPMC12789620

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.