What is known about novel coronavirus variants detected in SC

The Santa Catarina government announced Friday (3) that two new variables have been identified in the state. In Florianopolis, a woman was diagnosed with XQ strain, and in Joinville, one person had BA.2.12.1 – both Ômicron subvariants.

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a Katrina’s diary Survey what is known about these breeds. Check it out below:

XQ متغير variable

Florianopolis confirmed on Friday (3) The first case of the XQ variant of the Corona virus, a 32-year-old woman, residing in the capital was going to travel to Brasilia in May. The possibility of transmission and severity of the variant is still being evaluated, according to Eduardo Macario, Supervisor of the State Epidemiological Surveillance Board (Dive).

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Fiocruz found no evidence that the XQ variant is associated with greater severity of the cases. This is because a portion of the population has been vaccinated and has also been exposed to a previous infection. But according to Fucruz, it is necessary to monitor the development of cases.

We still have little genomic data available for April and May. The genome of the XQ strain presents an extension of the BA.1 strain genetic code for a μM variant and an extension of the BA.2 strain. They are two strains of the same worrying species, so we need to watch what happens – confirms the researcher from the Laboratory of Respiratory Virology and Measles at the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC / Fiocruz), Paola Resende.

In January 2022, simultaneous circulation of two types of Sars-CoV-2, Delta and Micron, was recorded in several countries. From there, cases of genetic recombination of the coronavirus began to be identified.

Earlier this year, scientists looked at a mixture of the two strains, known as “Deltacron.” However, through global genetic monitoring, multiple genetic combinations have been identified among the virus variants and strains, which are now designated by the letter X.

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According to Rissende, it is common for scientists to be surprised about this.

The Corona virus has brought surprises at every moment. Recombination can occur when a person is simultaneously infected with two strains. In this case, during the reproduction process of the virus, the genome can be assembled with pieces of the genetic code from different strains. This recombination could result in strains with greater, lower or equal spread potential than the original strains – explains the scientist.

Variant BA.2.12.1

The strain was identified in April by the New York State Department of Health, which estimated a 27% higher transmissibility than BA.2, the variant from which it was derived. to me the scientistWithin two months, the strain was responsible for 47.5% of new cases in the United States, and 73% of cases in New York, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In the city of Rio de Janeiro, four cases of the sub-variable were detected by the Dasa Integrated Health Network genomic surveillance process, in April. The pedigree was also determined by researchers at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). in Belo Horizonte.

At a press conference on Friday (3), the director of the Epidemiological Surveillance Directorate of Santa Catarina (Diving), Eduardo Macario, confirmed that a resident of Joinville, north of the state, had tested positive for the virus.

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Although the number of deaths did not follow the number of cases caused by the strain, Dasa virologist Jose Eduardo Levy warns that the variant may be responsible for a new wave of cases.

– Cases in Rio were detected from samples collected in April. In the month sequencing, we identified the majority, about 90%, of BA.2, still part of BA.1 and, for the first time, BA.2.12.1 cases. Today it is difficult to know whether what is happening in the United States, which is experiencing a new wave, will also happen here, but there is such a possibility – Levi explained to Globo.

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In addition, the concern of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the ability of re-infection by sub-micron variants.

One theory is that the sub-variant would have a “significant” ability to evade antibodies from both vaccination and previous infection, even in other Omicron sub-strains such as BA.1 and BA.2. The information is from a study conducted by Israeli researchers, which is still being analyzed on the preprint platform (polls that have not been peer-reviewed). The target of this study was BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 strains.

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