The Dual/Global Value of SARS-CoV-2 Genome Surveillance on Migrants Arriving to Europe via the Mediterranean Routes
Abstract
Despite the pandemic, 34,154 migrants, refugees or asylum-seekers landed in Sicily (Italy) in 2020, representing the main point of entry by sea into Europe. The SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program among migrants arriving to Sicily via the Mediterranean Sea, made by the combination of clinical examination and molecular testing, has been integrated by full-genome sequencing strains using the NGS technology from the last week of February. To date, more than one hundred full-genome strains have been sequenced and 8 different lineages have been identified mostly belonging to the lineages B.1.1.7 and B.1.525. As global access to COVID-19 vaccines should be ensured, the need to provide more detailed information to inform policies and to drive the possible re-engineering of vaccines needed to deal with the challenge of new and future variants should be highlighted.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.3425 | Journal eISSN: 2214-9996
Language: English
Published on: Jul 21, 2021
Published by: Ubiquity Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
© 2021 Claudia Marotta, Paola Stefanelli, Fabio Tramuto, Ulrico Angeloni, Carmelo Maida, Achille Cernigliaro, Teresa Barone, Francesco Vitale, Giovanni Rezza, Walter Mazzucco, The SAMI-Surv Collaboration, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.