Johns Hopkins University

SARS-CoV-2 variants that exhibit a 382-nucleotide deletion (∆382) in the open reading frame 8 (ORF8) region of the genome have recently been detected in several countries.  Researchers in Singapore conducted a study in which they compared hypoxia development necessitating supplemental oxygen between people infected with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 to people infected with the ∆382 variant.  Individuals infected with the ∆382 variant were less likely to develop hypoxia requiring supplemental oxygen than individuals infected with wild-type strain, even after adjustment for comorbidities and age, indicating that the ∆382 variant may be associated with a less severe infection.  Specifically 0 of 29 patients infected with the ∆382 variant developed hypoxia requiring supplemental oxygen, whereas 26 of 92 patients infected with the wild-type strain formed hypoxia requiring supplemental oxygen.


Effects of a major deletion in the SARS-CoV-2 genome on the severity of infection and the inflammatory response: an observational cohort study

Young, B. E., Fong, S.-W., Chan, Y.-H., Mak, T.-M., Ang, L. W., Anderson, D. E., Lee, C. Y.-P., Amrun, S. N., Lee, B., Goh, Y. S., Su, Y. C. F., Wei, W. E., Kalimuddin, S., Chai, L. Y. A., Pada, S., Tan, S. Y., Sun, L., Parthasarathy, P., Chen, Y. Y. C., … Ng, L. F. P. (2020). Effects of a major deletion in the SARS-CoV-2 genome on the severity of infection and the inflammatory response: An observational cohort study. The Lancet, S0140673620317578. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31757-8

Figure of the ORF8 Gene Displaying Differences Across the Duration of Disease in Four Patients Co-Infected with Wild-Type and Δ382 variant of SARS-CoV-2

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