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. 2022 Feb 17;11(2):e0122921.
doi: 10.1128/MRA.01229-21. Epub 2022 Jan 27.

Genome Sequencing of Wastewater Confirms the Arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant at Frankfurt Airport but Limited Spread in the City of Frankfurt, Germany, in November 2021

Shelesh Agrawal  1 , Laura Orschler  1 , Simona Tavazzi  2 , Robert Greither  3 , Bernd Manfred Gawlik  2 , Susanne Lackner  1
Affiliations

Genome Sequencing of Wastewater Confirms the Arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant at Frankfurt Airport but Limited Spread in the City of Frankfurt, Germany, in November 2021

Shelesh Agrawal et al. Microbiol Resour Announc. .

Abstract

Wastewater-based severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surveillance of Frankfurt Airport by genome sequencing was used to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants entering the region. In November 2021, we found all characteristic mutations of Omicron in wastewater originating from Frankfurt Airport before the first confirmed clinical report from an arriving passenger on 26 November 2021.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
(Top) Occurrence (i.e., the numbers of reads corresponding to each mutation) of characteristic S, E, M, and N protein mutations and ORF1ab mutations of the Omicron variant. (Bottom) Heatmap showing the allele frequency and the alternate nucleotide of the characteristic synonymous mutations of the Omicron variant. Airport, wastewater sample with a significant fraction from Frankfurt Airport; Residential, influent wastewater sample collected from the WWTP of Frankfurt City.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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