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Review
. 2022 Apr 1;13(2):402-422.
doi: 10.14336/AD.2021.1210. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Clinical Characteristics, Transmissibility, Pathogenicity, Susceptible Populations, and Re-infectivity of Prominent COVID-19 Variants

Zhen Yang  1   2 , Shuo Zhang  3 , Yu-Ping Tang  1 , Sai Zhang  1 , Ding-Qiao Xu  1 , Shi-Jun Yue  1 , Qi-Ling Liu  2
Affiliations
Review

Clinical Characteristics, Transmissibility, Pathogenicity, Susceptible Populations, and Re-infectivity of Prominent COVID-19 Variants

Zhen Yang et al. Aging Dis. .

Abstract

In addition to the rapid, global spread of SARS-CoV-2, new and comparatively more contagious variants are of considerable concern. These emerging mutations have become a threat to the global public health, creating COVID-19 surges in different countries. However, information on these emerging variants is limited and scattered. In this review, we discuss new variants that have emerged worldwide and identify several variants of concern, such as B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.1.529, and their basic characteristics. Other significant variants such as C.37, B.1.621, B.1.525, B.1.526, AZ.5, C.1.2, and B.1.617.1 are also discussed. This review highlights the clinical characteristics of these variants, including transmissibility, pathogenicity, susceptible population, and re-infectivity. It provides the latest information on the recent variants of SARS-CoV-2. The summary of this information will help researchers formulate reasonable strategies to curb the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 variants; VOC; VOI; VUM; mutation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Structure of S protein in novel Coronavirus.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A timeline depicting the origin time of some significant variants of SARS-CoV-2. The variants of concern are marked into the green box.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Origin of several significant variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Important mutations located at the S protein in the VOCs lineage.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
The diagram showing the position of the significant mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) region in some notable mutations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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