COVID-19: New Mutation in Omicron May Evade Vaccine Antibodies, Study Suggests | US News

Studies suggest that mutations in the Omicron subspecies of COVID can evade the immune system of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, facilitating reinfection.

Current, BA.5 Dominant Global Omicron variant, which shows a “substantial” ability to evade immune protection compared to previous subvariants, according to a report released Wednesday. New England Journal of Medicine.

However, BA.4.6, a mutation in BA.4, has recently increased in prevalence in certain regions where BA.5 predominates. wereport summary.

Variants were detected in >12% of new cases. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease) A case in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Whether it is possible to escape antibodies acquired by previous COVID infection or vaccination is still unknown, but the small studies outlined in the report suggest that it is possible.

Data from blood samples from 35 people recently infected with COVID or vaccinated and boosted with the original Moderna vaccine show that antibodies to BA.4.6 are approximately two times lower than those to BA.5. I got

“This suggests that Omicron continues to evolve in ways that make it more contagious and more effective at evading vaccines and immune responses. said study author Dr. Dan Baluch, director of Beth Israel’s Center for Virology and Vaccine Research. Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

“The results are actually harbingers of new variants that may be even more concerning,” he added.

Study participants were infected with either Omicron subspecies BA.1 or BA.2.

Whether BA.4.6 can circumvent the immune protection conferred from infection by BA.5 or vaccine boosters containing immunogens that fight BA.5 remains to be determined.

“Evolution of viruses by steroids”

Experts are also looking at other Omicron variants in the wild.

BQ.1 accounts for more than 5% of new cases in the United States, up from 3% the week before and 1-2% the week before, according to the CDC.

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A similar situation can be seen in BA.7. BA.7 accounts for more than 5% of new cases in the US, up from 4% the week before and 3% the week before.

“It’s amazing that the virus continues to mutate so quickly,” said Dr. Barouch, adding, “This is essentially the evolution of the virus on steroids.”

The report concluded that the virus continues to evolve.

“Viruses are rapidly diversifying,” said Bill Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.