Coordinator
Dr. Jose Arturo Molina Mora, Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales & Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR)

CABANAnet
Dra. Rebeca Campos Sánchez, CABANAnet coordinator.

Description
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has significantly impacted public health systems and disrupted social, economic, and ecological dynamics worldwide. Latin America has been one of the most affected regions due to pre-existing economic and social challenges, compounded by its ecological diversity. To better understand the spread and impact of the virus, the CABANAnet initiative enabled the sequencing and analysis of over 1,500 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from the region in 2021, contributing to genomic surveillance and insights into circulating variants.

Building on this foundation, the second phase of the project aimed to update and expand genomic surveillance in Latin America through an integrative approach. The study explored associations between viral genomic diversity, host factors (e.g., comorbidities, genetics), and socio-environmental indicators (e.g., economic status, population density, public health measures). It also evaluated regional capabilities for sequencing and data generation, including gaps such as missing metadata, sequencing disparities, and data biases.

Using multivariate analyses and regional datasets, the project identified patterns linking SARS-CoV-2 circulation to social, environmental, and institutional factors. The ultimate goal was to inform and strengthen epidemiological surveillance strategies in Latin America by providing evidence-based insights into the dynamics of the virus up to the year 2024.

Collaborators and publications

• Concha-Toloza, M., Collado González, L., Herrera Estrella, A., Fernández Do Porto, D., Campos-Sánchez, R., & Molina-Mora, J.-A. (2025). Genomic, socio-environmental, and sequencing capability patterns in the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Latin America and the Caribbean up to 2023. Scientific Reports 2025 15:1, 15(1), 1–13. Link to publication
• Molina-Mora, J. A., Reales-Gonzalez, J., Camacho, E., Duarte-Martinez, F., Tsukayama, P., Soto-Garita, C., Brenes, H., Cordero-Laurent, E., Santos, A. R. dos, Salgado, C. G., Silva, C. S., Souza, J. S. de, Nunes, G., Negri, T., Vidal, A., Oliveira, R., Oliveira, G., Munoz-Medina, J. E., Salas-Lais, A. G., Mireles-Rivera, G., Sosa, E., Turjanski, A., Monzani, M. C., Carobene, M. G., Lenicov, F. R., Schottlender, G., Porto, D. A. F. Do, Kreuze, J. F., Sacristan, L., Guevara-Suarez, M., Cristancho, M., Campos-Sanchez, R., Herrera-Estrella, A. (2023). Overview of the SARS-CoV-2 genotypes circulating in Latin America during 2021. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. Link to publication
• Molina-Mora, J. A., Cordero-Laurent, E., Godínez, A., Calderón, M., Brenes, H., Soto-Garita, C., COINGESA-CR Consorcio Interinstitucional de Estudios Genomicos del SARS-CoV-2 Costa Rica, Felix Drexler, J., Moreira-Soto, A., Corrales-Aguilar, E., Duarte-Martínez, F. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance in Costa Rica: Evidence of a Divergent Population and an Increased Detection of a Spike T1117I Mutation. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 92, 104872. Link to publication