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The Santara Clinics laboratory of the Vilnius University Hospital (VULSK) reports that 190 cases were detected among them, caused by the B.1.351 strain (tests carried out on March 25):
1. A sample from Vilnius County (March 16). Sequences were submitted after re-detection in a special selective PCR assay after detection of the N501Y mutation.
2. A sample from Vilnius County (March 20). Sequencing included VULSK in the laboratory after detection of the E484K mutation in a special selective PCR assay.
3. A sample from Vilnius County (March 15). Stuck in a routine sequence reading sample.
“On Tuesday (March 23), NVSPL reported two cases of the B.1.351 (South Africa) virus strain SARS-CoV-2 from Vilnius (March 8) and Kaunas (March 2) counties during sequencing. Both cases corresponded to separate episodes of introduction of this strain, ”says genomic epidemiologist Dr. Gytis Dudas.
VULSK also reported 76 new cases caused by strain B.1.1.7. B.1.1.7 constitutes 67 percent. (64/96) Vilnius, 40 percent. (2/5) Kaunas, 18 percent. (11/2) Alytus, 13 percent. (4/31) Utena, 33 percent. (1/3) Tauragė and 33 percent. (3/9) Panevėžys county samples.
Sequencing data performed in the laboratory of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences this week (research conducted on March 25) shows that 3 cases caused by varieties B.1.1.7 (“British”) were identified among 23 samples. B.1.1.7 constitutes 50 percent. (1/2) Kaunas, 17 percent. (1/6) Marijampolė and 100 percent. (1/1) Panevėžys county samples.
To date, a total of 1,821 samples have been sequenced and 304 cases of virus lines B.1.1.7 and 5 B.1.351 have been detected in Lithuania, according to a sequencing project coordinated by NVSPL.
“The strain B.1.351 detected for the first time in the Republic of South Africa is one of several SARS-CoV-2 strains of current concern. Among the many mutations available in this strain, there are several that are present in the viral spike protein (S ): N501Y, K417N and E484K. Two of them (K417N and E484K) are associated with a lower laboratory efficacy of antibodies to neutralize the virus. This means that there is a higher risk of reinfection with this strain if you have been vaccinated with other strains (lacking the K417N and E484K mutations mentioned above) or with currently registered vaccines. So far, there is no unequivocal evidence that, similarly to B.1.1.7, the B.1.351 strain would spread faster or it would cause a higher mortality ”, says G. Doubts.
In order to determine the prevalence of the “British” and “South African” variants B.1.1.7 B.1.351 in the country and to allow the early prevention of the spread of these variants, Santara Clinics performs all positive cases of SARS -CoV-2 N501Y, 69-70del and E484K virus mutation sample survey program. It is planned to expand the aforementioned program throughout Lithuania.
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