Two new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have been found in Ohio, one dubbed the “Columbus strain” as scientists believe it became the dominant form in the city last year.
The Columbus lineage, called COH.20G / 501Y, has three mutations not seen before, according to scientists at The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine. It seems to have become the most widespread form of COVID in the city in the three weeks between the end of December 2020 and January 2021, according to a press release.
A variant is a form of virus and is sometimes used interchangeably with the term strain, while a mutation is a change in the virus’s genes that it gathers as it replicates. Mutations are a natural part of a virus’s life cycle, and most do not change its behavior. Collections of mutations are variants.
Dr. Dan Jones, vice president, molecular pathology division, OSU who led the study, said in a declaration: “This new Columbus strain has the same genetic structure as previous cases that we studied, but these three mutations represent a significant evolution. We know that this change did not come from the virus branches in the United Kingdom or in South Africa ”.
The other variant has the same mutation as a separate and more infectious variant from the United Kingdom that has entered at least 50 countries, including the USA. On Tuesday, Maryland and Wisconsin became the last states to report that the UK variant has been identified.
The team believes the mutation occurred in an Ohio patient, and it is unknown how widespread it is in the population.
The changes in both variants affect the peak protein that the COVID virus uses to invade the body. The Columbus strain is believed to have undergone changes that make it more infectious, similar to variants that have emerged in the UK and South Africa, although more research is needed to confirm this.
According to CNBC, Jones said at a news conference on Wednesday that it is too early to know whether the Columbus strain is more infectious than previous forms, but is probably judging by the speed with which it has spread in recent weeks. .
The team made the findings after monitoring any changes in the genetic makeup of COVID viruses removed from patients since March 2020. The information was released in a OSU Wexner Press statement from the Medical Center and data must be sent to pre-print server BioRxiv, which means that they have not yet gone through the rigorous peer review process.
Study co-author Peter Mohler, Ohio State Science Director Wexner The Medical Center and vice president of research at the Faculty of Medicine said in a statement: “At this point, we have no data to believe that these mutations will have any impact on the effectiveness of vaccines now in use.”
Mohler said: “It is important not to overreact to this new variant until we get additional data.
“We need to understand the impact of mutations on virus transmission, the prevalence of the strain in the population and whether it has a more significant impact on human health. In addition, it is essential that we continue to monitor the evolution of the virus so that we can understand the impact of mutant forms on the design of diagnostics and therapies. It is essential that we make decisions based on the best science. “
Ian Jones, professor of virology at the University of Reading in the UK, who did not work on the study, said Newsweek: “The Ohio variant is the last to be reported with variation in the spike protein that can affect the virus’s ability to enter the cell. This would be consistent with improved transmission, since the virus is better in the early stages of infection.
“So far, all variants like this one that have been tested have remained susceptible to vaccine-induced immunity and, although it requires confirmation, it is probably also the case here. The infection still requires close contact, so measures of social distance remain more important than that never.”
Jason McDonald, spokesman for the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said CNBC the agency is analyzing the results.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, medical director of the Ohio Department of Health, said CNBC he “was not surprised” by the emergence of a new variant in the state, but said that such occurrence “is always worrying because more contagious strains can make more people sick, more people are hospitalized and, ultimately, more people die” .
He said, “It doesn’t matter the variety of COVID-19, people can continue to protect themselves by wearing masks consistently, staying at least 6 feet away, avoiding crowds, ventilating indoor spaces and washing their hands frequently. “
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