Covid English variant in Italy, this is where

Published on: 12/26/2020 2:33 pm

The English variant of the covid has reached Italy. Three cases have been identified in Veneto, six in Campania, two in Puglia and one in Chieti.

Veneto – To make known that the English variant of Covid has been found in Veneto was the president of the Veneto Region Luca Zaia during a press point of the Civil Protection of Marghera. The discovery, explained the governor, was made on Christmas Eve by the Venice Zooprophylactic Institute. “We have scientifically proven that the summer virus had nothing to do with either the first phase or the current one,” Zaia stressed.

Campania – A group of experienced researchers in genomic sequencing coordinated by Professor Davide Cacchiarelli at the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine in Pozzuoli, TIGEM, determined the complete sequence of the viral genome in 115 positive swabs for SARS-CoV-2 made in the last months in the Campania Region by the Zooprophylactic Institute. Among these samples it was also possible to analyze 6 swabs recently obtained at Capodichino airport from London people: among these was the presence of the so-called “English variant” of SARS-Cov2, about which there are still many scientific aspects to be clarified to evaluate its real impact on public health. In the rest of the samples analyzed, a total of 8 different variants were identified, all of them belonging to “type B”, very widespread in Europe. The study, the results of which have been deposited in GISAID (the world reference database for viral genome sequences), therefore provides a first map of the SARS-CoV-2 variants present in the Campania Region and underlines the importance of viral genome analysis to characterize the evolution of the pandemic.

Apulia – On December 21 and 22, the swabs of two patients from Apulia from the United Kingdom and the positive results of the Covid tests were received in Foggia, at the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Puglia and Basilicata. Both swabs were tested for virus isolation in Vero E6 cells and viral genome sequencing. “On December 24 – explain Antonio Fasanella general director of the Zooprophylactic Institute and Antonio Parisi, head of the Genetics laboratory of the Putignano section – for one of the samples an extensive cytopathic effect on the cells and the real-time PCR test was highlighted confirmed the isolation of viruses. Today, the analysis of the sequences obtained in both samples revealed the presence of a viral genotype corresponding to the so-called English variant of SARS Cov2. The sequences of the complete genome of the two viruses will be deposited in the database public and will be made available to the international scientific community. The isolated viral strain was frozen in aliquots and is available to any legally authorized scientific group for further studies on this particular variant. “

Abruzzo – ‘English variant’ also identified in a Chieti patient. During the diagnosis and genomic characterization of the Sars-cov-2 strains circulating in the Abruzzo region, the Abruzzo and Molise Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute identified the so-called “English variant” of the virus in a patient from the Chieti province.

The “English variant” is characterized by a combination of deletions (absence of small pieces of the viral genome) and mutations in protein S (of the peaks) that make it unique within the panorama of the many variants that circulate in the world in these moments. . The Izs of Abruzzo and Molise is able to identify the variants circulating in the Abruzzo area thanks to its consolidated scientific capabilities in the field of next-generation sequencing: this technology allows, in fact, to monitor real genetic characteristics of viruses and retrieve important epidemiological information about the infection. “The next step for our researchers is to clarify the ‘biological’ characteristics of this variant in in vitro experimental models”, stated the director general of the Nicola D’Alterio Institute, “it is important to underline that at this time the so-called ‘English variant’ does raises no particular problem regarding the efficacy of the vaccine: in this regard, I would like to underline that we are in constant contact with the Crisis Unit of the Abruzzo Region and that we are ready to collaborate also in the new phase of vaccination that is will formally launch tomorrow December 27 “.