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Nature Communications

Publication date: 2024-02-28
Volume: 15
Publisher: Nature Portfolio

Author:

Graf, Tiago
Martinez, Alexander A ; Bello, Gonzalo ; Dellicour, Simon ; Lemey, Philippe ; Colizza, Vittoria ; Mazzoli, Mattia ; Poletto, Chiara ; Cardoso, Vanessa Leiko Oikawa ; da Silva, Alexandre Freitas ; Motta, Fernando Couto ; Resende, Paola Cristina ; Siqueira, Marilda M ; Franco, Leticia ; Gresh, Lionel ; Gabastou, Jean-Marc ; Rodriguez, Angel ; Vicari, Andrea ; Aldighieri, Sylvain ; Mendez-Rico, Jairo ; Leite, Juliana Almeida ; Baumeister, Elsa ; Campos, Josefina ; Pontoriero, Andrea ; Martin, Indira ; Ferguson, Kirvina ; Johnson, Draven ; Beckles, Songee ; Forde, Kasandra ; Sosa, Aldo ; Melendez, Roberto ; Loayza, Roxana ; Avila, Cinthia ; Fortun Fernandez, Evelin Esther ; Guzman Otazo, Carol Jessica ; de Oliveira Santos, Katia Correa ; Abbud, Adriano ; dos Santos, Mirleide Cordeiro ; Ferreira, Jessylene de Almeida ; Fasce, Rodrigo ; Fernandes, Jorge ; Gomez Rangel, Sergio ; Maria Mercado, Marcela ; Pelaez, Dioselina ; Soto-Garita, Claudio ; Cordero-Laurent, Estela ; Duarte-Martinez, Francisco ; Brenes, Hebleen ; Miguel Sanchez, Isaac ; Imbert, Yvonne ; Bruno Caicedo, Alfredo ; de Mora Coloma, Domenica Joseth ; Lopez, Dalia Xochitl Sandoval ; Alvarado, Denis Gerson Jovel ; Moran, Deny Lisset Martinez ; Pacheco, Claudia ; Mendoza, Linda ; Whyte-Chin, Joyce ; Abdul-Kadir, Mustapha ; Boncy, Jacques ; Journel, Ito ; Paz, Mitzi Castro ; Alvarado, Sofia Carolina ; Avilez, Soany ; Brown, Michelle ; Arambula, Caludia Elena Wong ; Gonzalez, Ernesto Ramirez ; Gonzalez, Claudia M ; Arevalo, Brechla Moreno ; Franco, Danilo ; Lopez-Verges, Sandra ; Pascale, Juan Miguel ; Vazquez, Cynthia ; Gonzalez, Sandra ; Serrano, Nancy Rojas ; Padilla Rojas, Carlos Patricio ; Pinas, Phyllis ; Asebeh, Navienda ; Carrington, Christine VF ; Sahadeo, Nikita SD ; Chiparelli, Hector ; Goni, Natalia ; Rodriguez, Lieska ; D'Angelo, Pierina

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Science & Technology - Other Topics, VISUALIZATION, TIME, Humans, SARS-CoV-2, Latin America, Pandemics, Phylogeny, COVID-19, Caribbean Region, COVIGEN, G098321N#56127204

Abstract:

Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) regions were an important epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and SARS-CoV-2 evolution. Through the COVID-19 Genomic Surveillance Regional Network (COVIGEN), LAC countries produced an important number of genomic sequencing data that made possible an enhanced SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance capacity in the Americas, paving the way for characterization of emerging variants and helping to guide the public health response. In this study we analyzed approximately 300,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences generated between February 2020 and March 2022 by multiple genomic surveillance efforts in LAC and reconstructed the diffusion patterns of the main variants of concern (VOCs) and of interest (VOIs) possibly originated in the Region. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that the spread of variants Gamma, Lambda and Mu reflects human mobility patterns due to variations of international air passenger transportation and gradual lifting of social distance measures previously implemented in countries. Our results highlight the potential of genetic data to reconstruct viral spread and unveil preferential routes of viral migrations that are shaped by human mobility patterns.