ArticleMicrobiology spectrum2026
Tracking the shifting landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Lebanon among healthcare workers and hospitalized patients.
Article in Microbiology spectrum, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is critical for tracking viral evolution and informing public health responses. This study characterized variants circulating among healthcare workers (HCWs) and hospitalized patients in Lebanon between January 2022 and September 2024. A total of 530 SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from five Lebanese governorates and subjected to whole-genome sequencing. Correlations between variant circulation and a number of demographic and clinical variables were assessed. Most HCWs were female (64%), young adults (20-30 years, 39%), and had no comorbidities (97%). In contrast, hospitalized patients were mostly older adults (>60 years, 55.6%) with underlying conditions (77%). Early 2022 was marked by BA.1- and BA.2-like Omicron variants, followed by the predominance of BA.5-like lineages. In 2023, recombinant XBB sublineages became widespread. By 2024, these were largely replaced by next-generation variants, including JN.1 and KP.3.1.1. Despite differences in demographics and exposure risk, both groups showed parallel variant evolution. These findings reflect global and regional patterns and highlight the dynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in Lebanon. IMPORTANCE: This study provides a comprehensive snapshot of SARS-CoV-2 variant evolution in Lebanon between 2022 and 2024, focusing on healthcare workers and hospitalized patients. By combining genomic and clinical data, it reveals how successive Omicron subvariants emerged and spread within key population groups. The detection of diverse and evolving lineages, including XBB recombinants and next-generation variants such as JN.1, underscores the ongoing antigenic drift of SARS-CoV-2. These insights reinforce the value of continued genomic surveillance for pandemic preparedness, especially in regions where data remain limited. Understanding local variant dynamics can guide targeted vaccination strategies and health policy decisions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.