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

Mohseni Afshar, Zeinab; Tavakoli Pirzaman, Ali; Karim, Bardia; Rahimipour Anaraki, Shiva; Hosseinzadeh, Rezvan; Sanjari Pireivatlou, Elaheh; Babazadeh, Arefeh; Hosseinzadeh, Dariush; Miri, Seyed Rouhollah; Sio, Terence T.; Sullman, Mark J. M.; Barary, Mohammad; Ebrahimpour, Soheil

doi:10.3390/diagnostics13030559

Open AccessReview

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

by

Zeinab Mohseni Afshar

¹,

Ali Tavakoli Pirzaman

²,

Bardia Karim

²,

Shiva Rahimipour Anaraki

³,

Rezvan Hosseinzadeh

²,

Elaheh Sanjari Pireivatlou

⁴,

Arefeh Babazadeh

⁵,

Dariush Hosseinzadeh

⁶,

Seyed Rouhollah Miri

⁷,

Terence T. Sio

⁸,

Mark J. M. Sullman

^9,10

,

Mohammad Barary

^11,*

and

Soheil Ebrahimpour

^5,*

¹

Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 51351, Iran

²

Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran

³

Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14535, Iran

⁴

Student Research Committee, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Amol 4615143358, Iran

⁵

Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol 47176-47745, Iran

⁶

Bogomolets National Medical University, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine

⁷

Cancer Research Center, Canicer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1419733151, Iran

⁸

Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA

⁹

Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus

¹⁰

Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus

¹¹

Student Research Committee, Virtual School of Medical Education and Management, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839 69411, Iran

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Diagnostics 2023, 13(3), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13030559

Submission received: 6 January 2023 / Revised: 17 January 2023 / Accepted: 24 January 2023 / Published: 2 February 2023

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monitoring and Detection for SARS-CoV-2 and Its Variants)

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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 26 November 2021. The Omicron lineage is phylogenetically distinct from earlier variants, including the previously dominant Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. The reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) test, rapid antigen assays, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans can help diagnose 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. Mounting evidence has reported the most common clinical manifestations of the Omicron variant to be fever, runny nose, sore throat, severe headache, and fatigue. 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

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mohseni Afshar, Z.; Tavakoli Pirzaman, A.; Karim, B.; Rahimipour Anaraki, S.; Hosseinzadeh, R.; Sanjari Pireivatlou, E.; Babazadeh, A.; Hosseinzadeh, D.; Miri, S.R.; Sio, T.T.; et al. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19. Diagnostics 2023, 13, 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13030559

AMA Style

Mohseni Afshar Z, Tavakoli Pirzaman A, Karim B, Rahimipour Anaraki S, Hosseinzadeh R, Sanjari Pireivatlou E, Babazadeh A, Hosseinzadeh D, Miri SR, Sio TT, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19. Diagnostics. 2023; 13(3):559. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13030559

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohseni Afshar, Zeinab, Ali Tavakoli Pirzaman, Bardia Karim, Shiva Rahimipour Anaraki, Rezvan Hosseinzadeh, Elaheh Sanjari Pireivatlou, Arefeh Babazadeh, Dariush Hosseinzadeh, Seyed Rouhollah Miri, Terence T. Sio, and et al. 2023. "SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19" Diagnostics 13, no. 3: 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13030559

APA Style

Mohseni Afshar, Z., Tavakoli Pirzaman, A., Karim, B., Rahimipour Anaraki, S., Hosseinzadeh, R., Sanjari Pireivatlou, E., Babazadeh, A., Hosseinzadeh, D., Miri, S. R., Sio, T. T., Sullman, M. J. M., Barary, M., & Ebrahimpour, S. (2023). SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: A Challenge with COVID-19. Diagnostics, 13(3), 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13030559

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

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