Expansion of COVID-19 worldwide increases interest in unraveling genomic variations of novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. Metadata of 408,493 SARS-CoV-2 genomes submitted to GISAID database were analyzed with respect to genomic clades and their geographic, age, and gender distributions. Of the currently known SARS-CoV-2 clades, clade GR was the most prevalent worldwide followed by GV then GH. Chronological analysis revealed expansion in SARS-CoV-2 clades carrying D614G mutations with the predominance of the newest clade, GV, in the last three months. D614G clades prevail in countries with more COVID-19 cases. Of them, the clades GH and GR were more frequently recovered from severe or deceased COVID-19 cases. In contrast, G and GV clades showed a significantly higher prevalence among asymptomatic patients or those with mild disease. Metadata analysis showed higher (p < 0.05) prevalence of severe/deceased cases among males than females and predominance of GR clade in female patients. Furthermore, severe disease/death was more prevalent (p < 0.05) in elderly than in adults/children. Higher prevalence of the GV clade in children compared to other age groups was also evident. These findings uniquely provide a statistical evidence on the adaptation-driven evolution of SARS-CoV-2 leading to altered infectivity, virulence, and mortality.
【저자키워드】 Infectious diseases, Epidemiology, Evolutionary developmental biology, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Mortality, children, Gender, SARS-CoV-2 virus, Prevalence, D614G mutation, SARS-CoV-2 genome, male, female, Metadata, Evolution of SARS-CoV-2, D614G, clade, clades, age, expansion, group, virulence, genomic, genomic variations, asymptomatic patients, asymptomatic patient, Mild disease, Evidence, GISAID database, Analysis, Deceased, COVID-19 cases, followed by, novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, Female patients, genomic variation, distributions, country, prevalent, statistical, analyzed, increase, significantly higher, submitted, with mild disease, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, clade,