SARS-CoV-2 genetic factors associated with COVID-19 severity through whole-genome quasispecies analysis

Examine the genetic variability of SARS-CoV-2 quasispecies in clinical samples and investigated their potential association with disease severity through genome-wide analysis using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). Viral RNA was extracted from 44 nasal swab samples obtained from patients categorized into three severity groups (mild, moderate, and severe) based on their COVID-19 symptoms. The extracted RNA was then amplified using the ARTIC protocol and subjected to Illumina sequencing (NextSeq 550). Using a bioinformatic workflow, we performed genetic analysis on mutant spectra and generated consensus sequences for each spectrum. Statistical analysis of the data obtained from mutant spectra was conducted to assess the relationship between quasispecies and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients.