Article
SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Epidemiology Can Be Enhanced by Occupational Health: The Experience of Monitoring Variants of Concern in Workplaces in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Registro en:
KURIYAMA, Sergio N. et al. SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Epidemiology Can Be Enhanced by Occupational Health: The Experience of Monitoring Variants of Concern in Workplaces in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Frontiers in Medicine, v.9, Article 862284, p. 1 - 7, Apr. 2022.
2298-858X
10.3389/fmed.2022.862284
Autor
Kuriyama, Sergio N.
Farjun, Bruna
Henriques-Santos, Bianca Monteiro
Cabanelas, Adriana
Abrantes, Juliana Lourenço
Gesto, João
Fidalgo Neto, Antonio A.
Souza, Thiago Moreno L.
Resumen
The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
has led to extra caution in workplaces to avoid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In the occupational environment, SARS-CoV-2 testing is a powerful approach in providing
valuable information to detect, monitor, and mitigate the spread of the virus and preserve
productivity. Here a centralized Occupational Health Center providedmolecular diagnosis
and genomic sequences for companies and industries in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From
May to August 2021, around 20% of the SARS-CoV-2 positive nasopharyngeal swabs
from routinely tested workers were sequenced and reproduced the replacement of
Gamma with Delta variant observed in regular surveillance programs. Moreover, as
a proof-of-concept on the sensibility of the occupational health genomic surveillance
program described here, it was also found: i) the primo-identification of B.1.139 and
A.2.5 viral genomes in Brazil and ii) an improved dating of Delta VoC evolution, by
identifying earlier cases associated with AY-related genomes. We interpret that SARS-
CoV-2 molecular testing of workers, independent of symptom presentation, provides an
earlier opportunity to identify variants. Thus, considering the continuous monitoring of
SARS-CoV-2 in workplaces, positive samples from occupation health programs should
be regarded as essential to improve the knowledge on virus genetic diversity and
VoC emergence.