A study headed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US has detected nine SARS-CoV-2 viruses with genetic information from the Delta (AY.119.2) and Omicron (BA.1.1) variants in several mid-Atlantic states of the US.
The states where the recombinants were detected are New Jersey, Tennesse, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
RNA viruses like the SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, frequently mutate. In the presence of more than one variant, hybrid viruses may result.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects and sequences SARS-CoV-2 specimens from 64 states and jurisdictions via the National SARS-CoV-2
Strain Surveillance Program (NS3). The CDC also funds SARS-CoV-2 sequencing via commercial laboratory testing companies nationwide. This program has resulted in 1.8 million SARS-CoV-2 genomes collected from the United States since January 2021.
The genomic surveillance system aims to detect and respond dynamically to new and changing SARS-CoV-2 variants that can result in highly infectious or deadlier variants. The authors made sure they were not from laboratory artifacts or coinfections.
The nine samples contained recombination within the Spike gene, containing substitutions common to Delta lineages at the 5’ end and Omicron lineages at the 3’ end. The samples they isolated are different from the Delta-Omicron recombinants identified in the United Kingdom.
The table below shows the recombinant strains isolated by the National SARS-CoV-2
Strain Surveillance Program (NS3). GISAID is a global science initiative that provides open access to genomic data of influenza viruses and coronaviruses.
Luckily, the new recombinant viruses are not more infectious than the previous. According to the authors
Despite being detected over the course of 6 weeks, the number of cases resulting from these hybrid Spike recombinant viruses remains low.
The study is available as a preprint at medRxiv.
Hopefully, we will see the end of this COVID-19 soon. I think everyone had enough of this pandemic.
Don’t Get Sick!
Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.
If you find value in this website, please consider donating to show your support.
Related:
- Three Deltamicron cases in Southern France
- COVID-19 recovered immunity vs. Pfizer BNT162b2 vs. Coronavac
- T cells from previous infections and shots are protective against the Omicron variant
- People who recovered from COVID-19 have effective T-cells against the omicron
- Computer model: Natural antibodies still effective on the omicron variant
- Ten Studies showing a low risk of COVID-19 reinfection among unvaccinated
- High Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among the Unvaccinated in Bangui, Central African Republic
- Protective Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are the same in Convalescent and Vaccinated
- Asymptomatic or mild symptomatic COVID-19 elicits effective and long-lasting antibody responses in children and adolescents
- Can coronaviruses elicit long-lasting immunity?
- 60% may already have Immunity to COVID-19
- Pre-Existing T-Cells Stop COVID-19 Before it Starts
Reference: