Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42192199›Full record

ArticleCommunications medicine2026

Monitoring viral evolution and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 during 2022-2023 using Integrated Genomic Surveillance.

Christin Mache, Romy Kerber, Jessica Schulze, Marie Lataretu, Susan Abunijela, Yusra Seyam, Sofia Paraskevopoulou, Djin-Ye Oh, Maximilian Arlt, Aleksandar Radonić and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Christin Mache *Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Romy Kerber *Respiratory Infections (Unit 36), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany. KerberR@rki.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8152-8189
Jessica SchulzeInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Marie LataretuGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3637-5870
Susan AbunijelaRespiratory Infections (Unit 36), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Yusra SeyamGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-8566-8207
Sofia ParaskevopoulouGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2608-2596
Djin-Ye OhInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0541-6155
Maximilian ArltInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Aleksandar RadonićGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Somayyeh SedaghatjooGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-4964-4468
Matthias BudtInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5960-515X
Ann-Sophie LehfeldRespiratory Infections (Unit 36), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Felix HartkopfGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3902-8524
Ralf DürrwaldInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3432-0438
Torsten SemmlerGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-7267
Walter HaasRespiratory Infections (Unit 36), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Stephan FuchsGenome Competence Centre (MF1), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1338-2699
Stefan KrögerRespiratory Infections (Unit 36), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9457-4798
Thorsten WolffInfluenza and other Respiratory Viruses (Unit 17), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany. WolffT@rki.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7688-236X
Integrated Molecular Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (IMSSC2) Laboratory Network

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe continued emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with increased transmissibility and immunoevasive properties highlights the necessity to complement genomic surveillance with epidemiological data and laboratory-based assessment of viral phenotypes. Effective surveillance tools must be scalable, cost-efficient, and able to detect and characterize emerging variants in timely manner.

methodsWe utilized the Integrated Molecular Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (IMSSC2) network to conduct nationwide integrated SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance in Germany. SARS-CoV-2-positive samples from diagnostic laboratories were routinely subjected to whole genome sequencing. Epidemiological data from COVID-19 cases infected with BA.1, BA.2, BA.5.1, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.9.1, and XBB.1.9.2, notified between 1 December 2021 and 30 April 2023, were analyzed. Complementary, representative virus isolates were examined for immunoevasive properties and replication in human respiratory infection models.

resultsLineage assignments of 4595 SARS-CoV-2 genomes indicate ongoing viral evolution with successive replacement of dominant variants from Delta to Omicron lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.5.1, BQ.1, and XBB recombinants. Age-stratified epidemiological analyses show higher proportions of BA.1 and BA.2 infections in children. Multivariable logistic regression identifies male sex and increasing age as significant predictors of hospitalization. Phenotypic characterization suggests ongoing adaptation of Omicron variants BA.2, BQ.1.1, XBB.1.5, and XBB.1.9.2 to the upper human respiratory tract and enhanced propagation of XBB.1.9.2 in an alveolar infection model.

conclusionIntegrated genomic, epidemiological and virological approaches enable early assessment of emerging SARS-CoV-2 lineages and demonstrate ongoing adaptation across the human respiratory tract. Our findings show that geographically representative, scalable surveillance provides robust insights into viral evolution, supporting sustainable surveillance beyond the acute pandemic phase.

Identifiers

PMID42192199
PMCPMC13212648

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.