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In the summer of last year, a new strain of coronavirus presented in foreign sources was discovered in Lithuania. The first sample in which the new variety was detected was taken in Kaunas.
Currently it is announced that this variety has already reached other countries, several cases have been registered in the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark.
Variety “Lietuviškoji”
The Pango Lineages website provides an overview of the coronavirus strains that currently exist in the world. The maps provided show where each strain is most prevalent, the number of confirmed cases of the strain in the world.
The Pango lineage system contains a strain of coronavirus called “Lithuanian”, also known to scientists as line B.1.1.280.
According to the Pango lineages, a total of 53 cases of this strain have been confirmed, 79 percent. of them are registered in Lithuania, 9 percent. registered in the UK, 8 percent. – In Norway, 4% – in Denmark.
This website indicates that the variety was first identified last year on July 30.
Discovered by LSMU researchers
B.1.1.280 The variety was discovered in Lithuania last summer by researchers from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU). One of the scientists conducting viral sequence research at LSMU, geneticist Lukas Žemaitis, says that the “Lithuanian” strain is an offshoot of one of the world’s leading coronavirus strains.
According to the Pango lineages, the B.1 variety has more than 300 lines, including the Lithuanian version of B.1.1.280.
According to L. Žemaitis, the “Lithuanian” variety should not panic immediately. As of yet, there is no clinical evidence that this strain of the virus is more dangerous than others.
“There is a lot of talk about lines that everyone is afraid of. I mean that this is not a type of indicator that we should fear. It is a kind of small branch of several virus lines. Given that it was quite common in our country, it is clear that it is interesting and it is worth investigating more and explaining if it has any meaning or if some of its mutations are significant. That is what we do, but there is no indication that it is a danger, “comments L. Žemaitis on tv3.lt.
According to the geneticist, the virus mutation likely originated in Lithuania, but it may have also reached the country from other countries.
“It just came to our attention then. It probably started in Lithuania, but it’s also in Denmark, Norway and the UK. Everything here is very conditional and basically based on how many sequences are done in the country, who determines first and how much determines. This is how a certain line is assigned to a certain country “, explains L. Žemaitis.
According to the geneticist, this virus line is not currently dominant in Lithuania.
According to L. Žemaitis, the “Lithuanian” variety was first established in Kaunas in the summer. This virus line was later detected in Lithuania again in August, September and several samples in December.
Daniel Naumov, director of the Santara Clinics Biobank, says that the B.1.1.280 strain has three mutations compared to the original virus that causes Covid-19.
“As for B.1.1.280, which is quite a bit in Lithuania, it is not something very ‘special’. This strain has three mutations compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 virus detected in Wuhan, but it has no” worrisome mutations. “(as in English, South African or Brazilian).
The constant high detection rate of the B.1.1.280 strain shows that there was a high local transmission of the virus and it is probable that during the autumn no other strains that could compete with it were introduced ”, says D. Naumovas.
More research is needed
According to the specialist, it would be useful to carry out more research on the coronavirus strains in Lithuania. Sequencing would help predict potential jumps in infections and help the healthcare system prepare for potential outbreaks.
“If a” British “line is established in the country, we can predict that we will have a sharp increase in the number of infections, so we must prepare for both hospital planning and the management of the same epidemiological situation by introducing certain restrictions “, comments Žemaitis.
A larger number of ongoing sequencing studies would also allow a better understanding of the virus in general.
“When you examine a virus, you know what it is, you not only know that it is, that it is not, but you see what it is, what specific mutations it has. You can then see what certain mutations, certain lines, are important for.
Suppose that certain lines are associated with the transmission of the virus from animals to humans. A simple example, we have a case of tissue infection. Both workers and animals are sick.
Without sequencing, we will not be able to know if mink can infect a person. Perhaps the person got sick and is infected with completely different viruses. Basically, it gives us a certain tool to better understand the virus ”, shares L. Žemaitis.
So far, LSMU researchers have conducted around two hundred viral studies in humans and nine in tissues.
The investigation is complex
A sequencing study, according to a geneticist, costs between 60 and a few hundred euros excluding the use of the device and human resources. Still, research requires a lot of time and knowledge.
“It’s a scan of the entire virus sequence, that’s 30,000. lyrics, their composition. The PCR method is used to observe one or two points. You know how long PCR tests take, these are sequential tests, of course, there is no need to multiply that number of days, but for a sample, I will say roughly, about a dozen different reactions are done to prepare.
Then a specially prepared sample is scanned, and then we get tens of gigabytes of files about the virus sequences. Those sequences must be assembled into a single sequence using a bioinformatic algorithm, in other words, the data must be erased and the interpretation of this data begins. The processes are really slow, laborious and knowledgeable ”, says L. Žemaitis.
In total, at least 20 strains of coronavirus have been registered in Lithuania, the director of the Santara Clinics Biobank previously told tv3.lt.
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