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Will the emergent SARS‐CoV2 B.1.1.7 lineage affect molecular diagnosis of COVID‐19?
Author(s) -
Ramírez Juan D.,
Muñoz Marina,
Patiño Luz H.,
Ballesteros Nathalia,
PanizMondolfi Alberto
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.26823
Subject(s) - lineage (genetic) , pandemic , coronavirus , covid-19 , virology , genome , biology , disease , gene , genetics , medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , outbreak , pathology
As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic keep tackling global public health systems worldwide. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV2) genome keeps mutating. In that regard, the recent emergence of the B.1.1.7 lineage in the UK has called the attention of global authorities. One point of concern is that if this lineage can be detected by traditional molecular schemes for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection. Herein, we showed that this lineage does not affect the Berlin–Charité protocol but can challenge the available commercial kits directed to the Spike (S) gene. All efforts should be made to continue to monitor SARS‐CoV‐2 genomes for potential variants that can impair diagnostic testing and lead to false negative results.