Early Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants Using Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance at 4 US Airports, September 2021–January 2022
Renee D. Wegrzyn, Grace D. Appiah, Robert C. Morfino, Scott R. Milford, Allison Taylor Walker, Ezra T. Ernst, William W. Darrow, Siyao Lisa Li, Keith Robison, Duncan MacCannell, Dongjuan Dai, Brintha Girinathan, Allison L. Hicks, Bryan Cosca, Gabrielle Woronoff, Alex Plocik, Birgitte B. Simen, Leah F. Moriarty, Sarah Anne J. Guagliardo, Martín S. Cetron, Cindy R. Friedman
Abstract
We enrolled arriving international air travelers in a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 genomic surveillance program. We used molecular testing of pooled nasal swabs and sequenced positive samples for sublineage. Traveler-based surveillance provided early-warning variant detection, reporting the first US Omicron BA.2 and BA.3 in North America.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakVirologyCoronavirusRespiratory systemBetacoronavirusInternal medicineOutbreakInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseaseSARS-CoV-2 detection and testingCOVID-19 epidemiological studiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research