Open AccessCould the D614G substitution in the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein be associated with higher COVID-19 mortality?
Author(s) -
Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhanth,
Ashraf Al Madhoun,
Fahd AlMulla
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of infectious diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.278
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1878-3511
pISSN - 1201-9712
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.071
Subject(s) - covid-19 , clade , pandemic , case fatality rate , phylogenetic tree , mortality rate , biology , demography , virology , medicine , genetics , gene , outbreak , epidemiology , sociology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The increasing number of deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic has raised serious global concerns. Increased testing capacity and ample intensive care availability could explain lower mortality in some countries compared to others. Nevertheless, it is also plausible that the SARS-CoV-2 mutations giving rise to different phylogenetic clades are responsible for the apparent death rate disparities around the world. Current research literature linking the genetic make-up of SARS-CoV-2 with fatalities is lacking. Here, we suggest that this disparity in fatality rates may be attributed to SARS-CoV-2 evolving mutations and urge the international community to begin addressing the phylogenetic clade classification of SARS-CoV-2 in relation to clinical outcomes.
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