A computer image by Nexu Science Communication, Trinity College, shows a model for a betacoronavirus, the type that is linked to COVID-19. NEXU Science Communication/via REUTERS. File
AY.4.2, a Delta variant daughter, was detected in New York City and California.
Although some evidence suggests that AY.4.2 might be slightly more transmissible then Delta, experts aren’t certain.
The study of Delta's mutations may be a step towards variant-specific treatment.
Scientists were immediately interested in a new coronavirus, AY.4.2 (sometimes called "Delta Plus") when it started to spread in the United Kingdom in August. Insider has learned that the variant was now detected in New York City and California.
Five cases had been confirmed in New York by Friday. Two were reported in California, both in San Diego County and San Francisco.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the original Delta variant a "variant of serious concern." According to the CDC, Delta causes more infection and spreads faster that earlier forms of the virus. Some data also suggests that the original Delta variant might be more dangerous for unvaccinated individuals. Delta was responsible for more than 99% sequenced cases in the US as of October.
AY.4.2 is a descendent from Delta, but the CDC doesn't classify sublineages separately.
As of Monday, AY.4.2 accounted to 10% of all sequenced samples in England. It has been steadily increasing in England, Jeffrey Barrett, director at the COVID-19 Genomics Institute at the Wellcome Sanger Institute wrote last week on Twitter. He said that this pattern is distinct from the other sublineages in the Delta variant. None of them had a "consistent edge" over other Delta types.
Barrett stated that AY.4.2 is still replacing Delta in the UK, but at a slower pace than Delta.
Although some evidence suggests that AY.4.2 may be slightly more transmissible to AY.4, which is the most prevalent Delta variant in the UK (AY.4), experts believe more research is necessary to confirm this. STAT News spoke with Jeremy Kamil, a virologist from Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. He said that in order to prove that AY.4.2 is more transmissible you need to observe the trend over a longer period of time and see the difference in more geographic areas.
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Insider was told by Dr. Amesh Adalja (senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security) that the existence of a new version is not necessarily cause for concern.
He said that new variants of the virus are constantly being created. This is the normal behavior of this virus. It will continue to evolve. Although variants might get headlines, and people may write doomsday scenarios, they are unlikely to change the course of the pandemic.
Adalja said that since the original Delta variety was the dominant one in the world, it is not surprising that we are now seeing Delta mutations and daughters emerge from it.
A COVID-19 moonshot - variant-specific vaccines, treatments
Jen Madghachian, a care worker, receives her COVID-19 boost vaccination in Borehamwood (England) on October 4, 2021. Karwai Tang/Getty Images
In sequencing coronavirus samples, the US is behind many other countries. According to data from The Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, only 6% of all positive test results have been shared by the US in the last six months. Insider was told by Nevan Krogan, a molecular biologist from the University of California San Francisco, that New York and California have more sequencing than other areas of the US.
All of this suggests that AY.4.2 may be present in many states, but cases have not been spotted yet.
"If you look at the most common location for this virus, it's England. Why is this? Krogan explained that they are the best at sequencing, and it is because of this.
Sequencing the virus is only one step. Scientists then need to analyze that data in order to determine how and why the virus mutates.
The jury is still out on what effect these mutations have on the virus. Are they adding any power to the Delta version? Krogan said.
It will take considerable time and research to answer this question, but it would allow scientists to get ahead of the virus. Scientists could predict the combinations that are likely to emerge, as opposed to reacting to them once they appear.
Krogan stated that the hope is that this virus will only cause a few mutations.
He said that scientists would be able to understand variants of the virus well enough to create variant-specific vaccines or treatments.
He said, "That's precision medication."
There is a way to slow down the rate of mutation in the virus. Adalja stated that vaccines are the best solution.
Contributing reporting by Dr. Catherine SchusterBruce
Business Insider has the original article.
