Genomic Diversity of the SARS-CoV-2 in Turkey and the Impact of Virus Genome Mutations on Clinical Outcomes

Karacan, I.; Kizilboga Akgun, T.; Agaoglu, N. B.; Zolfagharian, P.; Aydin, M.; Alkurt, G.; Yildiz, J.; Kose, B.; Can, N. D.; Ozel, A. S.; Altunal, N.; Irvem, A.; Kendir Demirkol, Y.; Akgun Dogan, O.; Doganay, L.; Dinler Doganay, G.

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Global efforts of genomic surveillance of the virus give chance to track the spread of the pandemic. Global emergence of some viral mutations called attention and various studies have been suggested about increased infectivity of the virus. Herein, we sequenced viral genomes isolated from 184 patients in Istanbul and analyzed clinical metadata for the investigation of any viral mutation which affects the disease course of the host. We did not detect any viral mutations affecting the disease outcome in our cohort. Besides, we observed intra-host mutations in 76% of the isolates. Insertion/deletion and stop-gain mutations are also significantly less common among intra-host variants compared to consensus viral genome mutations. Longitudinal genomic surveillance is essential for timely detection of any lineages that might affect clinical outcome, the performance of diagnostic assays, or even the immunological escape of the virus.