Multi-branch cooperation on SARS-CoV-2 omicron capture: a case report
Authors:
Iva Dolinová 1; Jana Prattingerová 2; Pavel Kočí 3; Martin Kracík 1; Tomáš Zajíc 1; Kateřina Štillerová 1; Kateřina Arientová 1; Sebastian Cristian Treitli 4; Helena Jiřincová 5; Magdalena Ceé 2; Lucie Čermáková 2; Vladimír Valenta 2; Tereza Kopecká 6; Tomáš Jirásek 7
Authors‘ workplace:
Oddělení genetiky a molekulární diagnostiky, Krajská nemocnice Liberec
1; Krajská hygienická stanice Libereckého kraje
2; Praktický lékař, Osečná
3; Katedra parazitologie PřF UK, BIOCEV
4; Národní referenční laboratoř pro chřipku a nechřipková respirační virová onemocnění, Státní zdravotní ústav
5; Oddělení ústavního hygienika, Krajská nemocnice Liberec
6; Centrum PATOS, Krajská nemocnice Liberec
7
Published in:
Čas. Lék. čes. 2022; 161: 24-27
Category:
Case report
Overview
Shortly after the WHO’s first notice a suspected case of omicron SARS-CoV-2 was reported in Liberec, Czech Republic. The primary goal of the following actions was to test the presence of the variant and stop the spread of the virus variant.
On November 25 a sixty-year-old lady, who had recently returned from Namibia, visited a GP with flu-like symptoms and a rash on her chest. The antigen test was positive for SARS-CoV-2, a PCR test was planned. At that time, it was not known that a new variant of concern was spreading from Africa.
On November 26 in the morning the GP announced a suspected omicron case to the Regional public health authority, who organized the following steps. A mobile sampling team was sent to the patient's home immediately, sample transported into the regional hospital and analyzed with the help of the national reference laboratory. The captured virus SARS-CoV-2 fitted the description of the omicron variant, was shared in the GISAID database and named hCoV-19/Czech Republic/KNL_2021-110119140/2021. Contact tracing was started immediately, eleven persons were tested and quarantined. One of them positive with no further spread.
It is the first documented omicron case in the Czech Republic and one of the first cases in Europe, with an excellent systemic response to the alert. The laboratory was able to detect the omicron variant instantly after the request.
This case also demonstrates how easily the virus spreads on long distances and how important it might be to increase the uptake of the booster vaccine.
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2 – COVID-19 – case report – omicron
Sources
- World Health Organization. Classification of Omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern. WHO, 26. 11. 2021. Dostupné na: www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern
- Aleem A, Akbar Samad AB, Slenker AK. Emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 and novel therapeutics against coronavirus (COVID-19). StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island, 2021. Dostupné na: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570580
- Gao SJ, Guo H, Luo G. Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2, a global urgent public health alert! J Med Virol 2022; 94(4): 1255–1256.
- Callaway E. Heavily mutated Omicron variant puts scientists on alert. Nature 2021; 600(7887): 21.
- Torjesen I. Covid-19: Omicron may be more transmissible than other variants and partly resistant to existing vaccines, scientists fear. BMJ 2021; 375: n2943.
- Munro APS, Janani L, Cornelius V et al. Safety and immunogenicity of seven COVID-19 vaccines as a third dose (booster) following two doses of ChAdOx1 nCov-19 or BNT162b2 in the UK (COV-BOOST): a blinded, multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet 2021; 398(10318): 2258–2276.
- Dolgin E. Omicron is supercharging the COVID vaccine booster debate. Nature 2021, doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03592-2.
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Addictology Allergology and clinical immunology Angiology Audiology Clinical biochemistry Dermatology & STDs Paediatric gastroenterology Paediatric surgery Paediatric cardiology Paediatric neurology Paediatric ENT Paediatric psychiatry Paediatric rheumatology Diabetology Pharmacy Vascular surgery Pain managementArticle was published in
Journal of Czech Physicians
2022 Issue 1
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