SARS-CoV-2 genomic variations associated with mortality rate of COVID-19

• DOI: 10.1038/s10038-020-0808-9
• Publication Date: 2020-07-22T17:03:47Z
• Authors: Yujiro Toyoshima; Kensaku Nemoto; Saki Matsumoto; Yusuke Nakamura; Kazuma Kiyotani
• Keywords: Case fatality rate; Linkage Disequilibrium; Pandemic

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly expanded to a global pandemic. However, numbers of infected cases, deaths, and mortality rates related COVID-19 vary from country country. Although many studies were conducted, the reasons these differences have not been clarified. In this study, we comprehensively investigated 12,343 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences isolated patients/individuals in six geographic areas identified total 1234 mutations comparing with reference sequence. Through hierarchical clustering based on mutant frequencies, classified 28 countries into three clusters showing different fatality COVID-19. correlation analyses, that ORF1ab 4715L S protein 614G variants, which are strong linkage disequilibrium, showed significant positive correlations ( r = 0.41, P 0.029 0.43, 0.022, respectively). We found BCG-vaccination status significantly associated as well number cases. BCG-vaccinated countries, frequency variant had trend association higher rate. also several HLA alleles, including HLA-A*11:01 , rates, although factors cases an independent factor affect rate each Our findings suggest host genetic factor, genotypes might susceptibility infection or severity