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Influence of immune escape and nasopharyngeal virus load on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

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Migueres, Marion | Dimeglio, Chloé | Trémeaux, Pauline | Abravanel, Florence | Raymond, Stéphanie | Lhomme, Sébastien | Mansuy, Jean-Michel | Izopet, Jacques

Edité par CCSD ; Elsevier -

International audience. We read with interest the letter published recently by Costa et al. in the journal of Infection. They analyzed the difference between the viral loads of the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants using the parameters of clinical presentation, time to testing from symptoms onset, age and vaccination status.1 A new variant of concern (VOC), the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and rapidly spread throughout the world.2 Recent data suggest that this variant is more transmissible,3 less sensitive to vaccination,4 and causes less severe outcomes than the Delta variant.5 In vitro studies have demonstrated changes in cell entry and cellular tropism with the Omicron variant that might explain its greater transmissibility and reduced severity.6,7 However, clinical data comparing Delta and Omicron infections remain scarce, especially for ambulatory patients. We therefore examined the virological features of these two variants found in patients attending testing center.

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