Another coronavirus mutation has now been discovered in Brazil. (FG Trade / iStockphoto)
The corona mutation P.1 in Brazil is currently causing concern. Accordingly, the new virus variant could be the reason for the increasing numbers of infections there. According to experts, other factors are also conceivable.
After Great Britain and South Africa, a new mutation of the coronavirus has now been discovered in Brazil. The variant called P.1 first appeared in the capital Manaus of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. The area is considered to be one of the world’s toughest of Regions hit by COVID-19.
Rapid spread of the new corona mutation
Cases of the new mutation from South America were made public by Japan on Sunday. According to the authorities, the variant was detected in two adults and two children who entered from Brazil on January 2. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that it had been informed about the new variant by Japan.
As the “European Center for Disease Prevention and Control”, ECDC announced, the variant is not identical to the British or the South African mutation. British scientists believe the Brazilian variant of the virus is more contagious than the original form – similar to the mutations discovered in the UK and South Africa. Both are said to spread very quickly in areas that have already been severely affected by the previously predominant variant.
+++ More on the topic: Corona mutation B.1.1.7 +++
Riddles about high infection rates
The surge in infections in Manaus in recent weeks has puzzled science. According to estimates by researchers, three quarters of the population were infected there last year. This means that there should actually be a certain corona immunity (keyword: herd immunity) in the local population. But the number of infections is now rising sharply again in Manaus.
According to experts, one explanation for the increase could be the mutation P.1, which was discovered in Manaus in December. be. Nuno Faria, virologist at Imperial College London and professor at Oxford University, and his team discovered this mutation by examining samples from people infected with corona. Like the science magazine Science reported, the new virus variant P.1. be detected.
Virus variant bypasses immune protection
The new CoV variant, like the South African mutant, has the spike protein E484K. This has been shown to reduce the detection by antibodies, which helps the virus to bypass the immune protection caused by an earlier infection or vaccination, reported the science magazine “BBC Science Focus”.
Experts now suspect that CoV variants that could bypass the human immune reaction could also lead to a greater number of new infections. Further research will now investigate whether the immunity of people who have already survived a corona infection is impaired by the new variants.
Immunity wanes
The epidemiologist in Oxford, Oliver Pybus, has another explanation for the rapid increase in Manaus than the new virus variant P.1. According to him, it could also be that the infections in the population were so long ago that their immunity had decreased. However, it could also be a combination of several factors, such as the higher infectivity of the mutation or possible protection against antibodies, says Pybus.
+++ More on the topic: COVID-19 – That’s how long you are immune +++ after an infection
Do the vaccines work against the new corona mutation?
It has not yet been adequately researched whether the vaccines approved to date will also work against the Brazilian variant. However, experts are confident: “So far, the virus does not seem to have become resistant to CoV vaccines,” says vaccine expert Philip Krause, who heads a WHO working group on COVID-19 vaccines. However, he also points out that the rapid development of these virus variants suggests “that this could happen faster than we would like”. Then the vaccines would have to be adjusted.
+++ More on the topic: Interview with an expert – How dangerous are corona mutations? +++
WHO calls for global research efforts
In regions that are affected by high numbers of infections through new mutations, research is being promoted accordingly. According to the WHO, there is also an urgent need to sequence corona genomes and share information in order to be able to better and more accurately track the exploitation of mutations.
The member states of the WHO were therefore called upon to “support global research efforts to identify important properties of the To understand mutations and variants better “.
+++ More on the subject: WHO – Corona pandemic as a “wake-up call” +++
Stay informed with the newsletter from netdoktor.at
Authors:
Tanja Unterberger, Bakk. phil.
Editorial editing:
Astrid Leitner
Updated on:
19.01.2021 | 12:12
More articles on the topic
Some virus variants show mutations that indicate an incipient “flight” from our immune system. Find out more here!
–
A study shows what increases the risk of COVID-19 death in the elderly.
–
More contagious, more dangerous? Read everything about the coronavirus mutation B.1.1.7 here.
–
–
