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The Nigerian version of the coronavirus is highly contagious, about three times more likely to be infected if you have the vaccine and 10 times more likely if you’ve already contracted the disease, Forbes magazine reported. The reason is that it contains a mutation called E484K, which can help the virus escape the body’s defenses. It is also found in some other variants of the coronavirus.
In samples from three people, the ability of the antibodies to neutralize the virus was reduced by up to 90% when they were infected with the mutated form of E484K. The name of the mutation comes from its position in the genetic code of the virus (484). The letter E refers to the amino acid that was originally there (glutamic acid). YK refers to the amino acid that is now there (lysine).
Other changes make the Nigerian variant (colloquially called “strain”, which is incorrect) is similar to the British, also known as “Kent”, which according to experts is more contagious than the original version of the coronavirus that started the pandemic.
The strain of
Nigeria already
has reached
Britain,
France and
other countries
“We don’t yet know how well this new variant will spread, but if it is successful, it can be assumed that the immunity from any previous vaccine or infection will be weakened,” said Simon Clark, associate professor of cell microbiology at the university. of Reading in the UK.
Viruses cannot replicate and spread on their own. They need a host and must be attached to their cells. When this happens, they are faced with the challenge of duplicating their genetic material. For many viruses, this is not an exact process and their “descendants” often contain errors, meaning that they are not exact copies of the original virus.
These errors are called mutations, and viruses with these mutations are called variants. Often these mutations do not affect the biological properties of the virus. That is, they have no effect on the way the virus replicates or causes disease.
However, sometimes there are variants with a beneficial mutation that is better reproduced, transmitted or avoided by our immune system. These options can quickly become dominant.
There is some concern that we are seeing an increasing number of variants with mutations that are contributing to the pandemic.
The British version, Known as B.1.1.7, it was first discovered in the UK in late 2020. It has a host of mutations, many of which include the virus’s spike protein, which helps it invade human cells.
It has spread rapidly in the UK since its inception and has already been detected in at least 70 other countries, including Australia.
The fact that B.1.1.7 spreads so rapidly and replaces other circulating strains suggests that it has some advantage. Therefore, scientists are convinced that it is
significantly
more contagious
of the others
This may be the result of one of the mutations in the spike protein variant called N501Y. Experiments have shown that N501Y is associated with increased binding of the virus to a receptor known as “Angiotensin Correcting Enzyme 2 (ACE2)”. This may mean that B.1.1.7 is even more effective when entering our cells.
The South African version (B.1.351) was first discovered in Nelson Mandela Bay in October 2020. Since then it has spread to more than 30 countries. It is very contagious and
quickly outgrown
the other options
by COVID-19
In South Africa. Now this option represents more than 90% of the samples in the country.
Like the British, B.1.351 also has a N501Y mutation in the spike protein, which means that it is more efficient at reaching our cells to replicate. This can help explain its rapid spread. It also contains several other related mutations.
Two of them, called E484K and K417N, are very dangerous to the human immune system. They can reduce the degree to which antibodies bind to the virus. There is no evidence yet to suggest that the South African variant is more deadly than the original coronavirus.
The Brazilian version (P.1) was first discovered in Japan by a group of Brazilian travelers in January 2021. It is now widespread and has even been found in South Korea and the United States.
Similar to the South African variant, the Brazilian variant has N501Y, E484K, and K417N protein mutations (as well as many others). Although there is no evidence that this option
Causes
heavier
disease,
He fears it has facilitated a wave of reinfections in Brazilian areas believed to have achieved herd immunity in October 2020.
More than 70 Australians have recently returned from abroad and have been quarantined after two people tested positive for new russian strain known as B1.1.317. It is still being investigated.
Two separate teams of researchers say they’ve found an alarming new one variant of coronavirus in New York and in northeastern America.
It is believed to carry mutations that help it avoid the body’s natural immune response. Researchers have named option B.1.526.
Vaccine developers are testing their effectiveness against these and other options. In general, the currently licensed preparations protect relatively well against the British strain.
But late-stage data from Novavax and Johnson & Johnson suggests reduced protection against the South African version. AstraZeneca has also published data suggesting that their vaccine offers only minimal protection against mild to moderate illness caused by this variant.
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