Genomic surveillance of Influenza A and B viruses circulating in the city of São Paulo between 2023 and 2025

• Grant number: 23/08965-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Carolina Quartim Barbosa Elias Sabbaga
• Grantee: Igor Santana Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11944-6 - Continuous improvement of vaccines: Center for Viral Surveillance and Serological Assessment (CeVIVAS), AP.CCD

Abstract

The flu caused by the Influenza virus is one of the seasonal and infectious diseases that has the most frequentincidence, in which it can compromise the gestational system, causing fever, body pain, muscle aches and in patientswith comorbidities it can evolve to more serious conditions in which can lead to death. Viral infections that attack theupper airways are always a cause for concern regarding the transmissibility, epidemic dispersion and evolution ofviruses. In 2019, a pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 culminated in a major impact on global health. São Paulo was thefirst city in Latin America to report a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Genomic surveillance is crucial for detecting new variantstrains and understanding the geographical spread of these airborne viruses. As a result, this project aims at acomparative study of the spread of Influenza A and B viruses using phylogeography, with genomes obtained frompatients not suspected of having SARS-CoV-2 infection in the city of São Paulo from 2022 to 2025. 6 health units wereagreed to perform weekly collections each for evaluation by RT-PCR. The complete genome sequencing of thesesamples, the construction of a genomic database, the phylogenetic analyzes of the molecular clock, the epidemiologicalanalyzes to understand the dissemination of circulating strains and the identification of new strains in the city of SãoPaulo will be integrated. Knowing the genomic diversity and dynamics of the Influenza virus in a pandemic scenario inthe city of São Paulo is of paramount epidemiological importance, as it generates relevant information for decisionmaking bodies, helping to formulate more effective post-resistance strategies virus.