The Covid-19 pandemic began back in 2019, as far as we know, and since then, the virus has mutated and evolved in many different variants. International health regulators and organizations, such as the WHO and the CDC, are tracking down all variants to determine which ones present a threat to people. All variants identified so far originated in different parts of the world, and by far, the one responsible for the recent pandemic wave is the Delta strain.
A new study published in the Nature Molecular and Cellular Immunology Journal presents a new strain, originated in Tanzania, which poses a threat to the world because of its resistance to Covid-19 vaccines.
What do we know about the A.30 variant?
According to the study’s findings, this A lineage strain was tracked back in February in Tanzania. A lineage- variants have multiple mutations in the spike protein. The spike protein is the one that infects human cells. The mutations of the A.30 suggest that the spike protein can neutralize antibodies acquired through vaccination.
Statistics show that, so far, scientists have managed to detect A.30 lineage in Angola, Tanzania, and Sweden. The different phases of the study showed that this strain is heavily mutated and manages to escape antibodies.
The new variant improved its way to enter host cells
The infection begins when the virus or its variants start infecting host cells, attaching its spike protein to the cells. Researchers determined that the A.30 variant evolved and entered into most human cells, including cells from the lungs, liver, and kidney. Testes indicated that this variant is more resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy.
In in vitro setting, the A.30 strain showed resistance to the mRNA Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The WHO has yet to classify this variant as a variant of concern (VOC) because there have not been many cases.
