According to the American Fun Science website reported on January 27, the United States found an invisible version of the Olmikeron strain. But so far, it has a low percentage of total U.S. cases.
The world health organization says the variant, called BA.2, carries genetic mutations not seen in the Omiljunn lineage, some of which are in spike proteins. Some preliminary data suggest that BA.2 may be slightly more contagious, but not more severe. However, it is too early to make a definitive interpretation of the data.
According to a previous report by the Fun Science website, in December last year, scientists said that the original version of Ami kerong had been divided into multiple sub-lineages, one of which was BA.2. BA.2 has a strange point in heredity, and nucleic acid testing is more difficult to detect, so it is called "invisible Omicron".
According to the report, the original Version of the Omiljung strain had a "deletion" in the gene segment that encodes the spike protein (the substance that the virus uses to infect cells). Nucleic acid testing for COVID-19 screens for several genes, including spike protein genes. When a variant carries this "deletion," the nucleic acid test shows an error: "S gene target failed." This error makes it easy to label possible Cases of Opichron and then confirm them through complete genomic analysis.
However, BA.2 does not have this deletion called 69-70del, so it cannot be distinguished from other variants without this "deletion" in nucleic acid detection. BA.2 carriers will still test positive for COVID-19 nucleic acid, but their cases will not be labeled BA.2 unless their original sample has been genetically sequenced.
Dr. Wesley Lang, a pathologist at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, told The Associated Press: "Don't think that 'invisible Omit jun' means we can't detect it." ”
Spread to 40 countries
According to the Associated Press, this invisible Omiclon has been found in 40 countries, including the United States. By and large, BA.2 currently appears to be more common in Asia and Europe than on other continents.
Given the increasing number of BA.2 cases in the UK, the UK Health Security Agency has designated BA.2 as a "variant under investigation". The Associated Press reported that in Denmark, 45 percent of COVID-19 cases in mid-January were Omi kerong, compared to just 20 percent in early January. Anders Forhmsgao, a virologist at the Danish National Serum Institute, told The Washington Post that as of January 24, BA.2 accounted for 65% of the new cases in Denmark. Overall, COVID-19 cases in Denmark are still increasing.
James Mather, director of the Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research at Houston Methodist Hospital, told The Washington Post that in the United States, BA.2 does not account for as much of the new crown as in the United Kingdom and Denmark. Lang told The Associated Press that Houston Methodist Hospital recently identified 3 cases of BA.2, but as of now the sub-lineage has not had much impact in the United States. News reports say the variant has also been found in places like Connecticut and California.
The Associated Press said the United States submitted a total of 96 BA.2 gene sequences to the Global Initiative for Sharing Influenza Data, a globally shared coronavirus data platform. Approximately 15,000 BA.2 gene sequences have been submitted worldwide.
Contagiousness is unclear
As cases of BA.2 increase globally, WHO now recommends that health agencies conduct a comparative study between this sub-lineage and the original version of Omilon, in particular its ability to spread and cause serious disease.
"Studies of the characteristics of BA.2, including its immune evasion and pathogenicity, should be prioritized independently of BA.1," the WHO website reads. ”
Kristen Nudrond, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Washington Post: "There is currently not enough data to determine whether BA.2 is more contagious or adaptable than BA.1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to monitor variants that are currently spreading nationally and internationally. ”
According to the Associated Press, early reports in Denmark showed that the hospitalization rate of BA.2 was no different from that of the original Version of Omilon. Forhmsgaard told The Washington Post: "So far, we have not seen significant differences in age distribution, vaccine status, breakthrough infections and risk of hospitalization. In addition, despite the high rate of BA.2 infection, the number of hospitalizations in intensive care units is decreasing. ”
Lang told The Associated Press that there are some indications that the sub-lineage is the same or slightly more contagious than the original version of Omilon, "but we don't necessarily know what the cause is."
The Associated Press reported that scientists are working in the lab to test whether antibodies against the original Omikejong can also eliminate BA.2.
Dr. Daniel Curlitx, an infectious disease specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in the United States, told The Associated Press that the two versions of Omiclon are very similar, so infecting Omiclon is likely to "provide you with cross-protection against BA.2."
Source: Reference News Network