A new variant of coronavirus has been detected in the United Kingdom, Nigeria and 11 other countries, including the USA, according to a report by researchers at the University of Edinburgh.
The variant, dubbed B.1.125, contains a mutation in the virus’s spike protein, which allows it to bind and enter human cells. Scientists fear that because of this mutation, known as E484K, current vaccines may be less effective against this new variant.
This mutation also appears in coronavirus variants already found in South Africa and Brazil, according to The Guardian. It also appeared in some samples of the UK variant, known as B.1.1.7, as Live Science previously reported. The researchers believe that the E484K mutation may help the virus escape the so-called neutralizing antibodies, which bind to the virus and prevent it from infecting cells, according to The Guardian.
Related: South African coronavirus variant: all your questions answered
Simon Clarke, associate professor of cell microbiology at the University of Reading, told The Guardian that the E484K mutation makes the South African variant resistant to some vaccines, and he fears that the new variant may also be somewhat resistant.
“We still don’t know how well it [new] the variant will spread, but if it succeeds, it can be assumed that the immunity from any previous vaccine or infection will be attenuated, “Clarke told The Guardian.
According Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the viral variants in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Brazil appear to be more contagious than the original coronavirus strain. But this has not yet been confirmed for this new variant.
“There is currently no evidence that this set of mutations causes more serious illness or greater transmissibility,” said Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England (PHE), in a statement, according to Reuters.
On February 17, 46 cases of the new variant were confirmed by gene sequencing in the United Kingdom, according to government documents. B.1.125 was first detected in samples of people with COVID-19 in Nigeria in December 2020, according to the University of Edinburgh report, although PHE notes in a blog post that “investigations are underway to confirm your country of origin. ” The University of Edinburgh report also notes that on February 17, the variant was detected by genetic sequencing in 12 cases in the United States.
Originally published on Live Science.