SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and definitions

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (U.S.). Division of Viral Diseases.
• Description:
  Updated Sept. 1, 2023
  
  What You Need to Know
  
  • Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 continuously evolve as changes in the genetic code (caused by genetic mutations or viral recombination) occur during replication of the genome.
  
  • SARS-CoV-2 has consistently mutated over the course of the pandemic, resulting in variants that are different from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  
  • Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been found in the United States and globally.
  
  • Scientists use multiple classification systems to describe and communicate similarities and differences between SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
  
  
• Content Notes:
  Key Definitions -- Types of Classification -- Recombinants -- Summary of Variant Classifications -- List of Variants -- References.
• Subjects:
  Betacoronavirus Coronavirus Infections COVID-19 Epidemiological Monitoring Molecular Epidemiology Pneumonia, Viral SARS-CoV-2/genetics
• Document Type:
  Webpage
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:0927d29c607f504f5504da42b8f8698e576e4f172bb0acd10d884e32232b7421
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/133705/cdc_133705_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 572.95 KB ]