- Hana Polzerov��: Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Common Laboratories, Havl����k��v Brod Hospital, Czech Republic, e-mail: hana.polzerova@onhb.cz.
OBJECTIVE: In early March 2020, the first cases of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 were confirmed in the Czech Republic. From April 2020 to the end of September 2022, more than 80,000 samples were examined in the microbiology laboratory of the Havl����k��v Brod Hospital. The article summarizes data obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The catchment area of our laboratory included the towns of Havl����k��v Brod, Chot��bo��, Sv��tl�� nad S��zavou, Lede�� nad S��zavou, Humpolec, and Pelh��imov. Viral RNA was isolated from the collected samples and detected by RT-PCR. Virus variants were determined by mutation detection using two methods (RT-PCR and melting curve analysis).
RESULTS: Most of the examined persons belonged to the almost equally represented age groups 26-45 and 46-65 years. Two significant waves of the epidemic were recorded during the study period. The number of SARS-CoV-2-positive women and men was not statistically different, nor was there a difference in the number of hospitalized men and women; patients over 65 years of age predominated. Three variants of concern were detected: B1.1.7. (a), several sublineages of the variants B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.2.AY (��, ��+), and several sublineages of the variant B.1.1.529.BA (��). The variants differed in infectivity and virulence.
CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly contributed to the development of the microbiology laboratory of the Havl����k��v Brod Hospital.