Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections by Rapid  Inexpensive Methods

Sirwan M.A. Al-jaf; Sherko S. Niranji

doi:10.14500/aro.10916

Sirwan M.A. Al-jaf (1) College of Medicine, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0203-1022
Sherko S. Niranji (1) College of Medicine, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9210-0129

Keywords: Alpha variant, Iraq, Reinfections, Reinfections, SARS- CoV-2

Abstract

New SARS-CoV-2 infections are difficult to beverified, whether they are reinfections or persistent infections. The most prominent factors used for differentiating reinfections from persistent infections are whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses that require time and funds, which may not be feasible in most developing countries. This study explores reinfections with COVID-19 that harbors D614G and N501Y mutations by rapid inexpensive methods. It exploits the previously developed rapid economic methods that identified both D614G and N501Y mutations in clinical samples using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) probes and conventional PCR specific primers. In the present study, an immunocompetent patient has been found with a SARS-CoV-2 N501Y reinfection without comorbidities. According to the obtained results, this study suggests that the initial infection was due to a variant that contained only D614G mutation whereas the reinfection was potentially a result of alpha variant contained three mutations confirmed by DNA sequencing, including D614G, N501Y, and A570D mutations. These techniques will support rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 reinfections through the identification of common spike mutations in the developing countries where sequencing tools are unavailable. Furthermore, seven cases of reinfections were also confirmed by these methods. These rapid methods can also be applied to large samples of reinfections that may increase our understanding epidemiology of the pandemic.

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Author Biographies

Sirwan M.A. Al-jaf, (1) College of Medicine, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Sirwan M. A. Al-jaf is a Assistant Prof. at the College of Medicine, Garmian University. He got the B.Sc. degree in Biology, the M.Sc. degree in Parasitology and the Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. His research interests are in Molecular biology, Molecular techniques and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Sirwan is a member of Kurdistan Biology Syndicate.

Sherko S. Niranji, (1) College of Medicine, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Sherko S. Niranji is a Assistant Prof. at the College of Medicine, Garmian University. He got the B.VM & S. degree in Veterinary Medicine, the M.V.S degree in Anatomy and Histology and the Ph.D. degree in Cell Molecular Bioscience. His research interests are in Molecular immunology, Infectious Disases. Dr. Sherko is a member of Kurdistan Veterinary Medicine Syndicate.

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