Recently, our esteemed customer, the No.(1) Defence Services General Hospital (1000-Bedded) in Yangon, Myanmar, published their research on the Breakthrough infections due to SARS-CoV-2 Wild type, the Delta variant and the Omicron variant in early fourth wave of epidemics in Myanmar. The paper was published in February 2022 on the International Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research Studies (Impact Factor: 5.276).

This study collected nasopharyngeal swabs from both clinically suspicious cases, contacts of COVID-19 PCR positive cases, and healthy travelers coming to Myanmar at Mingaladon airport from October 2021 to early January 2022. Totally 50,842 nasopharyngeal swab samples were tested, and 770 (1.5%) samples were SARS-CoV-2 positive. In these 770 positive samples, Ct values less than 30 were selected for the further SARS-CoV-2 variants investigation. The variant types, clinical presentations/severity, complications, mortality rate, and vaccination history of the breakthrough infections (BTIs) cases were investigated and analyzed.

In this study, the Delta variant was founded to infect the majority of cases with more than 60% having moderate to severe infection. Although the researchers in this study have been trying to trace the Omicron variant in Myanmar since October 2021, it was not detected until the end of December 2021. Only 10 cases were infected with the Omicron variant in this study and all cases were asymptomatic and came back from abroad. Meanwhile, in view of duration of symptom onset to timing of vaccination second dose, all BTIs cases took the second dose 6 months ago, which showed falling efficacy of protective effect of vaccine if longer than 6 months.

Two kinds of Bioperfectus PCR kits were honored to be included in this study. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was tested by COVID-19 Coronavirus Real Time PCR Kit, the Omicron variant by SARS-CoV-2 Variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) Real Time PCR Kit.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Real Time PCR Kit was launched in Jan. 2020 and has received WHO-EUL/FDA EUA/CE and entered many countries. The product is well designed with performance not affected by the reported SARS-CoV-2 Variants, including the recent epidemic Omicron (includes BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5 and descendent lineages), the recombinant lineage of BA.1 +BA.2 and Delta+Omicron.

The researchers from the No.(1) Defence Services General Hospital (1000-Bedded) are very satisfied with the quality of our products and very impressed by the speed of Bioperfectus. The Omicron variant was first detected in South Africa in late November 2021, while in December 2021, we immediately launched the Omicron variant kit, equipped with automated interpretation tools. The products were sent to Myanmar in the same month to support the research and detection of the Omicron variant.

Bioperfectus aims to provide the total molecular diagnostic solution, including extraction systems&reagents, PCR systems & kits, and result interpretation tools. The solution is validated in-house and ensures the quality of detection. We will continue to provide high-quality products and services to customers and researchers around the world.

References

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmscrs/v2-i2-10
• Phyu Pyar K, Khine Su K, Wunna K, Min Aung S, Htet Aung ZN, Lin Maung N, et al. (2022). Detection of the Omicron Variant among SARS Cov-2 Positive Cases In No. (1) Defence Services General Hospital, Myanmar. SunText Rev Virol 3(1): 127.
• K.P.P., K.K.S., K.W., Z.N.H.A., N.L.M., A.P.K., S.W.H., T.H.T., S.M.H., N.M.A., A.M.T., M.K.M., W.M., T.T.M., K.Z.Y., T.W., M.A.S., S.P.T., Y.L.A., Z.P.A., M.T.K., K.T.M., H.L.A. Initial presenting symptoms and severity of SARS-CoV-2 Wild type, the Delta variant and the Omicron variant infected cases in early fourth wave of epidemics in Myanmar. Journal of Medical Research and Health Sciences. 2022;1765-1769. https://doi.org/10.52845/JMRHS/2022-5-1-8