The SARS-CoV-2 LAMBDA Variant of Interest, Also Known as Lineage C.37

Scientifically accurate atomic model of the external structure of SARS-CoV-2. Each “ball” is an atom.

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It was first detected in Peru in August 2020. On 14 June 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) named it Lambda variant and designated it as a variant of interest. It has spread to at least 30 countries around the world and is known to be more resistant to neutralizing antibodies compared to other strains. It is also suggested that the Lambda variant could be more infectious and resistant to vaccines than the Alpha and/or Gamma variant.

SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant – Wikipedia

According to a database for scientists tracking coronavirus variants, less than 700 cases of the lambda variant have been sequenced in the U.S. with more than 34 million coronavirus cases reported. But the U.S. has sequenced only a small fraction of lambda cases, so that number does not reflect the actual number of lambda cases in the US to date.

First samples of the Lambda variant were detected in Peru in December 2020 and by April 2021, over eighty percent of new cases of COVID-19 in Peru were from the new variant. At least 29 countries have reported Lambda cases as for now (Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Colombia, U.S., Canada, Germany, Spain, Israel, France, the U.K. and Zimbabwe, and others). This variant identified to cause significant community transmission with increasing relative prevalence and increasing number of cases over time, suggesting an emerging risk to global public health. Also, Lambda carries a number of mutations with suspected phenotypic implications, such as an increased transmissibility and increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies. The World Health Organization recognizes it as a variant of interest, meaning that it’s capable of causing significant community transmission.

The Lambda genome has the following amino acid mutations, all of which are in the virus’s spike protein code: G75V, T76I, Δ246-252, L452Q, F490S, D614G and T859N.

ORF1abC4002TT1246I
C7124TP2287S
T7424GF2387V
T9867CL3201P
C10029TT3255I
G10097AG3278S
11288-11296 delTCTGGTTTTSGF 3675-3677 deletion
C14408TP4715L
SpikeG21786TG75V
C21789TT76I
22299-22319 delGAAGTTATTTGACTCCTGGTGRSYLTPGD246N
T22917AL452Q
T23031CF490S
A23403GD614G
C23731TT859N
NC28311TP13L
GG28881AAR203K
G28883CG204R
G28913TG214C

Transmissability: Increased.
Virulence: Likely Increased.
Antigenicity: C.37 variant is possibly resistant to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, natural infection’s or vaccine-induced antibodies.
Spread: Originally was discovered in Peru and has now spread to 29 countries. Variant is dominant in Peru, Chile, Mexico, Equador, but prevalence also growing fast in US, as well as some European countries.

Global Positive Samples Sequenced: 5,628,45

C.37 Sequenced: 8,659

% of Global Samples Sequenced: 0.15%

Most common countries: Peru 44.0%, Chile 20.0%, United States of America 13.0%, Argentina 11.0%, Ecuador 3.0% (Alias of B.1.1.1.37, lineage in Peru, Chile, USA and Germany, from pango-designation issue #52).

Global Samples Sequencing Data

Updated December 2021

Amino acid mutations of SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant plotted on a genome map of SARS-CoV-2 with a focus on the spike.

Stanford HIVDB Team, PhiLiP

Ayass BioScience, LLC are sequencing positive COVID-19 cases to find new mutations:

Evidence suggests that the LAMBDA variant poses the most significant risk to unvaccinated populations. If you are worried about LAMBDA or other variants, get vaccinated now at our location: