Proportion, evolution, and spike differences between BA.4/5, XBB (XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9) and EG.5.1 (Eris) SARS-CoV-2 variants. (A) Relative frequency (%) of BA.4/5, XBB (XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9) and EG.5.1 (Eris) globally (right), in the Americas (center), and Brazil (left) from October 2022 to October 2023. Data were collected in GISAID [5]. (B) Spike convergent evolution chart with BA.2, BA.4/5, XBB (XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9), and EG.5.1 (Eris). Arrows denote direct relationships between variants with the corresponding spike mutations written along them. (C) Comparison of BA.4/5, XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, and EG.5.1 Omicron sublineages’ spike region. Amino acid mutations and deletions (Δ) are indicated in reference to the Wuhan-1 (614D) strain. Only distinct mutations between these variants were represented. NTD, N-terminal domain of the spike glycoprotein; RBD, receptor binding domain of the spike glycoprotein. Mutations were determined by the Outbreak.info genomic reports website [14].