COVID-19: The number of SARS-CoV-2 mutants is increasing rapidly
The number of mutations in the coronavirus is increasing and poses a serious threat.
Mutations have contributed to the emergence of several new virus types following the coronavirus pandemic. There are now around 100 recognized mutants of the virus. A team led by experts from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) examined the development and global distribution of the new virus strains and uncovered potentially dangerous changes.
The Erlangen virologists warn: The more freely a virus can spread, the better it can overwhelm the human immune system. With the uncontrolled worldwide spread and rapid increase of SARS-CoV-2, numerous mutations and variants have arisen, the scientists claim, and the process is still ongoing. According to Professor Walter Doerfler from the University Hospital Erlangen, the virus could continue to mutate despite the vaccination if the spread is not controlled early enough.
There will be a significant increase by spring 2021.
While there were only about ten dominant SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus mutations worldwide in April 2020, the number rose rapidly by spring 2021, so that there are now over 100 identified mutations, according to the research team. The experts from Erlangen University Hospital, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of California in Davis / Sacramento and the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in Los Angeles, investigated the occurrence of virus mutations and variants from the beginning of the pandemic.
Ten countries are examined.
The occurrence of new virus variants in the ten countries Great Britain, South Africa, India, USA, Brazil, Russia, France, Spain, Germany and China was monitored at defined time intervals (January 2020 to April / May 2020, April / May 2020 to July / August 2020, July / August 2020 to December 2020 and December 2020 to March / April 2021).
Via the research platform GISAID, which enables free access to the genome, over 380,500 SARS-CoV-2 RNA sequences were obtained and over 1,750 of these RNA sequences were examined in detail for changes in viral proteins.
The appearance of new types of fear
In addition to the previously known viral variations (Variants of Concern) from Great Britain, South Africa, Brazil and California / USA, between 70 and 100 further mutations were found in the SARS-CoV-2 genome worldwide by the end of January 2021. In addition, a new “Variant of Concern” was added towards the end of April 2021. News from the Bulgarian Business Journal in short.
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