The variant of covid-19 what else worries epidemiologists right now is not Eris (or EG.5.1, the omicron sublineage that has been circulating in Catalonia since June 8), but the BA.2.86, cataloged for the moment as omicron sublineage and detected for the first time in the world just five days ago last August 13. Since then, they have been detected six cases worldwide (none of them in Spain).
It is unknown if this sublineage, with more mutations than Eris, will have greater immune escape or be more transmissible.
BA.2.86 includes many more mutations than its predecessors, making it a sub-variant of omicron very different to the previous ones, although the data is still scarce. In the absence of more information, scientists say that this variant is reminiscent of the “leap” which occurred at the end of 2021when the omicron appeared and displaced the delta. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the health authorities of USA announced this Friday that they are closely monitoring this new variant of covid-19, although for now the potential impact is unknown of the numerous mutations”.
The variant BA.2.86 has awakened in the scientific community much more interest (not exactly worry, given the uncertainty that still exists about it) that Eris, the only one that was talked about until a few days ago. “The scientific community is closely following BA.2.86 because it incorporates multiple mutations: has 34 mutations relative to the omicron BA.2 lineage, 36 mutations from the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, and 58 from the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 variant,” he said. Roger Paredes, Head of the Infectious Diseases Service of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital (Can Ruti, in Badalona) and researcher at the AIDS Research Institute (IrsiCaixa).
“This increase in mutations is a significant change, similar to the jump that occurred between the delta and omicron variants.”
Head of the Can Ruti Infectious Diseases Service
Walls ask for prudence: there is still a lot of information missing It is unknown if this new variant will have a larger exhaust. immune or if it will be more transmittable. have been detected all over the world six cases of this new variant in four countries: one in Israel, three in Denmark, one in the US and one in the UK.
“significant change”
Paredes explains that it is the first time in many months that the scientific community detects a variant that accumulates many more mutations than usual. “This increase in mutations]is a significant Change, similar to jump that occurred between the delta and omicron variants”, says this infectologist. The new omicron variant appeared at the end of 2021 and was much more transmittable than the previous one, the delta. With omicron, the population (which then did not have the immunity that it does have now) entered the sixth wave of covid-19 in the middle of Christmas. Omicron caused a great wave of infections, but it turned out to be less serious than its predecessor.
Which are the implications of this “jump” on new mutations? At the moment, it is unknown. With no certainties in hand, scientists believe it is possible (although not certain). make it more transferable which probably won’t cause more serious illness than the previous ones (at the moment there is no evidence in this regard) and that the tests, vaccines and treatments used so far probably will continue to be effective.
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“It’s a very different variant, for study and monitor. It is possible that in the next few days it will be detected in other countries,” says Paredes. “But, today, We do not know if there will be many more infections. It’s a posibility. The other possibility is that this dies out. If this combination of mutations is not transmitted better than Eris, Eris will end up prevailing”, Add.
But the past has taught some lessons. For example, that variants with a high number of mutations are associated with a major vaccine escape already one greater transmissibility. What is interesting for Paredes right now is that this new variant, the BA.2.86, It is being monitored from the very beginning. In a week or two, it will be known if the cases are increasing or not. “We don’t know how it will end. But, as there are danger signs, it is good that health systems keep doing sequencing,” emphasizes this infectologist, who also highlights that the appearance of this new variant shows that the pandemic is not over and that the viruses continue evolving.