Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with Covid-19

Version 1 : Received: 14 October 2022 / Approved: 20 October 2022 / Online: 20 October 2022 (02:16:05 CEST)

How to cite: Mohseni Afshar, Z.; Tavakoli Pirzaman, A.; Karim, B.; Hosseinzadeh, R.; Babazadeh, A.; Hosseinzadeh, D.; Rouhollah Miri, S.; Sio, T.T.; Sullman, M.J.M.; Barary, M.; Ebrahimpour, S. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with Covid-19. Preprints 2022, 2022100292. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0292.v1 Mohseni Afshar, Z.; Tavakoli Pirzaman, A.; Karim, B.; Hosseinzadeh, R.; Babazadeh, A.; Hosseinzadeh, D.; Rouhollah Miri, S.; Sio, T.T.; Sullman, M.J.M.; Barary, M.; Ebrahimpour, S. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with Covid-19. Preprints 2022, 2022100292. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202210.0292.v1

Abstract

Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, there have been multiple peaks of the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus virus 2) infection, mainly due to the emergence of new variants, each with a new set of mutations in the viral genome, which have led to changes in the pathogenicity, transmissibility, and morbidity. The Omicron variant is the most recent variant of concern (VOC) to emerge and was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) on November 26, 2021. The Omicron lineage is phylogenetically distinct from earlier variants, including the previously dominant Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. Previous research has reported the most common clinical manifestations of the Omicron variant to be fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe headache, and fatigue. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, rapid antigen assays, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans can help diagnose those with the Omicron variant. Furthermore, many agents are expected to have therapeutic benefits for those infected with the Omicron variant, including TriSb92, molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir, and their combination, corticosteroids, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blockers. Despite being milder than previous variants, the Omicron variant threatens many lives, particularly among the unvaccinated, due to its higher transmissibility, pathogenicity, and infectivity. This review summarizes the essential features of the Omicron variant, including its history, genome, transmissibility, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and the effectiveness of existing vaccines against this VOC.

Keywords

Omicron; Covid-19; SARS-CoV-2; Variants of concern

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.