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Review
. 2022 Dec:265:127204.
doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127204. Epub 2022 Sep 17.

Omicron variant: Current insights and future directions

Rashmi Rana  1 , Ravi Kant  2 , Rohit Singh Huirem  2 , Deepika Bohra  2 , Nirmal Kumar Ganguly  2
Affiliations
Review

Omicron variant: Current insights and future directions

Rashmi Rana et al. Microbiol Res. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

The global COVID-19 outbreak has returned with the identification of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) after appearing to be persistently spreading for the more than past two years. In comparison to prior SARS-CoV-2 variants, this new variant revealed a significant amount of mutation. This novel variety may have a greater rate of transmissibility which might impede the effectiveness of current diagnostic equipment as well as vaccination efficacy and also impede immunotherapies (Antibody / monoclonal antibody based). WHO designated B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern on November 26, 2021, identified as Omicron. The Omicron variant transmission method and severity, on the other hand, are well defined. The global spread of Omicron, which has now seized many nations, has resulted in numerous speculations regarding its origin and degree of infectivity. The following sections will go over its potential for transmission, omicron structure, and impact on COVID-19 vaccines, how it is different from delta variant and diagnostics.

Keywords: Diagnosis; Omicron; Spike proteins; Transmissibility; Vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Illustrate the structural lineages of omicron; B1 and B2 lineages are showing different mutations in their genomic structure respectively.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a.1 ‘Choropleth distribution’ of omicron variant cases worldwide. This depicts the global spread of omicron, with the darker shades of red representing the more contaminated areas and the lighter shades of red representing the less affected areas (John, 2022). Fig. 2 a.2 ‘Choropleth distribution’ of delta variant cases worldwide. The darker hues of orange signify more contaminated locations, while the lighter colours reflect less contaminated areas, depicting the global spread of delta (John, 2022). Fig. 2 b (1,2,3) Covid-19 cases, deaths, recoveries in most impacted countries as of jan.12, 2022.Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, death and recoveries among the most impacted countries worldwide as of January 12, 2022.Graph(2b.1) depicts the overall number of covid infected cases, mostly in the most affected areas. The death cases caused by the covid infection are depicted in graph (2b.2) (John, 2022).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(a,b,c) Diagrammatic representation of SARS- CoV 2 variants- Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron Variant showing the comparison of spike proteins structural mutations. The spike proteins possess two different subunits- S1 and S2 where S1 is receptor attachment subunit and S2 is fusion subunit and the cleavage site for Furin and TMPRSS2. It mediates the attachment of virus to the host cell. TMPRSS2 helps in activation of spike proteins.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Overall mutation list in Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron Variant (B.1.1.529).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
shows the workflow of PCR for detection of Omicron.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Supplementary concepts