New York crown mutation concern: how dangerous is the variant?

New York crown mutation concern: how dangerous is the variant?

A new variant of the crown is spreading in New York, which worries researchers. Because studies show: Certain vaccines probably work worse with this mutant. What does this mean for the pandemic?

Sandra Simonsen / t-online

In addition to the original SARS-CoV-2 variant, several new versions of the virus have spread around the world for months. Meanwhile, for example, the British B.1.1.7 and the South African variant B.1’351 are also widespread in Europe.

There are now two new mutants from the US that are causing concern: In addition to the CAL.20C mutant from California, the B.1’526 variant from New York is now considered particularly concerning. Researchers fear that a mutation in this variant of the virus could weaken the effectiveness of available corona vaccines. As a result, this mutant could be more dangerous than other variants of the coronavirus.

Where does the Corona B.1’526 variant come from?

The new Corona variant with the name B.1’526 first appeared in New York shows in November last year. By mid-February, around one in four infections in the region could be traced to this mutant. Studies show that this variant is already widespread in New York. Now it has spread to other countries like Denmark.

“This is not particularly good news,” Michel Nussenzweig, an immunologist at Rockefeller University, told the New York Times recently. But it’s good to know, “because then maybe we can do something about it.”

What’s so special about the New York variant?

Researchers led by computer biologist Anthony West of the US University of California Institute of Technology have examined the genetic material of the virus to investigate the development of new variants.

The West scientists discovered, among other things, an increase in the B.1’526 variant by searching a database of mutations. “There was a recurring pattern in the New York area that I hadn’t seen before,” Anthony West told the New York Times.

Researchers working with the database also found that the New York variant shares mutations with the South African variant B.1’351 and the Brazilian variant P.1 and P.2. All three have, among other things, a mutation called E484K. This mutation is believed to give the virus the ability to evade current vaccines.

Are vaccines no longer effective against this variant?

New studies show that virus variants containing the E484K mutation are less responsive to vaccines than the parent virus.

The mutation disrupts the activity of a certain type of antibody produced by almost all people infected or vaccinated against corona, according to the American immunologist Nussenzweig. “It is very likely that people who have recovered from the coronavirus or who have been vaccinated can fight this variant, there is no doubt about that,” he said. But “they could easily get sick.” They could also continue to infect other people.

In a study, the results of which were published in the journal “Nature,” Nussenzweig examined how well certain vaccines also work with mutations. To do this, the scientists vaccinated 20 volunteers with the active ingredient Moderna or Biontech / Pfizer and analyzed the reactions. One finding: the effectiveness of these mRNA vaccines against certain SARS-CoV-2 variants, including those with the E484K mutation, was “slightly but significantly” reduced.

Basically, antibodies in vaccines effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. However, according to the study authors, this process is reduced or eliminated by certain mutations. “Taken together, the results suggest that vaccines should be tested against emerging variants and that mRNA vaccines may need regular updating to avoid a possible loss of clinical efficacy,” the researchers write.

Other scientists are also concerned. Epidemiologist Wafaa El-Sadr recently told ARD that certain changes could cause the virus to multiply faster or to no longer respond to vaccines.

How does the New York mutant affect the course of Covid-19?

Researchers at Columbia University analyzed 1,142 samples from Covid patients and found that twelve percent of the people were infected with the variant containing the E484K mutation. Therefore, the patients who contracted Covid-19 from this mutant were, on average, about six years older than other patients and had to be treated more frequently in the hospital.

What is the difference with the variant in California?

A new variant of SARS-CoV-2, called CAL.20C, also comes from California. It is believed to be responsible for the growing number of infections in the south of the state and was already detected in July 2020. In the meantime, CAL.20C has spread to other US states, as well as Europe and Australia.

It is not yet clear whether this variant is more contagious than the original virus. However, the rapid rise in new corona infections within California’s population points to this, according to experts. It is not yet known whether this variant can influence the course of the disease or the effect of the vaccine.

Dr. Nussenzweig was recently “more concerned about the variant in New York than the one that was spreading rapidly in California.” Unlike the New York mutant, CAL.20C does not contain the E484K mutation, which can affect the effectiveness of vaccines.