Publications by authors named "Marilia Mazzi Moraes"
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Variants During the First Year of the Pandemic Highlight the Earlier Emergence of the Zeta Variant of Interest in Brazil.
Pathogens
December 2024
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 caused an alarming number of cases and deaths worldwide. Brazil was severely affected from late 2020 onward, especially after the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs). Although much is known about the dynamics and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 VOIs and VOCs in the country, information is still lacking on how the cocirculation of several SARS-CoV-2 lineages, along with the lack of vaccination and low adherence to social isolation measures, shaped the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSão Paulo is the financial center of Brazil, with a population of over 12 million, that receives travelers from all over the world for business and tourism. It was the first city in Brazil to report a case of COVID-19 that rapidly spread across the city despite the implementation of the restriction measures. Despite many reports, much is still unknown regarding the genomic diversity and transmission dynamics of this virus in the city of São Paulo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCorrection: Lesbon et al. Nucleocapsid (N) Gene Mutations of SARS-CoV-2 Can Affect Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic and Impact False-Negative Results. 2021, , 2474.
Viruses
September 2022
Article Synopsis
- The authors of the article "Nucleocapsid (N) gene mutations of SARS-CoV-2 can affect real-time RT-PCR diagnostic and impact false-negative results" are requesting to add two individuals, Olivia Teixeira and Maria Cristina Nonato, as co-authors.
- This request suggests that both individuals contributed to the research and findings presented in the article.
- The inclusion of these authors may highlight their roles in addressing the implications of genetic mutations in SARS-CoV-2 and improving diagnostic accuracy.
Article Synopsis
- Brazil has experienced high COVID-19 cases and deaths, making Latin America a major pandemic epicenter, with early sustained virus transmission and ongoing gaps in understanding.
- Researchers analyzed over 17,000 near-complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from across Brazil and Paraguay, finding multiple viral lineages predominantly imported from Europe before local transmission clusters emerged after November 2020.
- Effective genomic surveillance has been crucial in tracking the real-time spread of significant variants, such as Gamma (P.1) and Zeta (P.2), and understanding cross-border virus movement into Paraguay.
Background: The emergence of the Brazilian variant of concern, Gamma lineage (P.1), impacted the epidemiological profile of COVID-19 cases due to its higher transmissibility rate and immune evasion ability.
Methods: We sequenced 305 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genomes and performed phylogenetic analyses to identify introduction events and the circulating lineages.
Article Synopsis
- - Brazil became a major COVID-19 epicenter in Latin America by May 2021, experiencing high transmission rates and deaths, but gaps remain in understanding how the virus spreads nationally.
- - The study analyzes nearly complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Brazil and Paraguay, revealing that the initial wave was marked by multiple imported viral lineages mainly from Europe, leading to significant local transmission clusters.
- - As the pandemic progressed without effective restrictions, Brazil saw the emergence and spread of concerning variants like Gamma and Zeta, highlighting the need for extensive genomic surveillance in South America for better pandemic management and public health strategies.
Delta VOC is highly diverse with more than 120 sublineages already described as of November 30, 2021. In this study, through active monitoring of circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants in the state of São Paulo, southeast Brazil, we identified two emerging sublineages from the ancestral AY.43 strain which were classified as AY.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleocapsid (N) Gene Mutations of SARS-CoV-2 Can Affect Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic and Impact False-Negative Results.
Viruses
December 2021
The current COVID-19 pandemic demands massive testing by Real-time RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), which is considered the gold standard diagnostic test for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the virus continues to evolve with mutations that lead to phenotypic alterations as higher transmissibility, pathogenicity or vaccine evasion. Another big issue are mutations in the annealing sites of primers and probes of RT-PCR diagnostic kits leading to false-negative results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant (B.1.1.7) emerged in the UK in 2020 and quickly spread throughout Europe, with indications that it circulated in Brazil, particularly in São Paulo.
- - Phylogenetic analysis of alpha VOC strains in São Paulo from February to August 2021 revealed multiple independent introductions of the variant from both domestic and international sources, along with significant local clusters.
- - The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance to monitor emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants amid increasing vaccination efforts.