The first case of an Indian variant was reported in Florence on 10 March. On April 25, two residents in the Alto Vicentino tested positive: they are two members of the same family, who returned from India a few days ago: they had put themselves in self-isolation and alerted the health authorities (here all the details) . What do we know about the Indian variant? Here are the answers to the most common questions about variants. Here an in-depth analysis by Sandro Modeo on the strategies of the Sars-Cov-2 virus to circumvent vaccines, here an intervention by Polo Giordano on the risk of underestimating the variants.
What is the most common variant in Italy?
The variant English (B.1.1.7): in the latest survey by the Higher Institute of Health (which dates back to more than a month ago) it accounted for 86.7 percent of cases. In many European states (and in 110 other countries in the world, such as the USA) become prevalent and dominant thanks to its main characteristic, the N501Y mutation which makes it more transmissible (estimates range from 50 to 70 percent more). Still in doubt whether it is associated with greater lethality: studies have come out that show opposite theses. The two main hypotheses are that it can be up to twice as lethal, or that, due to its greater prevalence, it brings more people to hospital, people who, once hospitalized, have a no different disease outcome from what they would have had with the archaic version of Sars-CoV-2. Vaccines currently in use appear to be effective against B.1.1.7.
What is the variant that worries the most?
It is thought to be there South African (B.1.351): contains a mutation called E484K, capable of partially evade the defenses developed by vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and previous infections. This neutralizing ability it does not seem likely to affect the efficacy of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines if not slightly, but in South Africa AstraZeneca been abandoned because ineffective. Also Johnson & Johnson in South Africa he saw one reduction of effectiveness by about 8 percentage points. The variant B.1.351 no longer seems to be transmissible or lethal and in Italy it is not so widespread: there are three cases reported in the recent survey and six in the previous report (prevalence at 0.1 per cent). Pharmaceutical companies are already considering a third dose of the vaccine and studies are already underway.
Indian variant: why is it talked about so much?
Perch contiene in s two mutations already known: E484Q and L452R, which for the first time appear together and why is probably contributing to the cause dramatic wave that is upsetting India. The first mutation could increase its transmissibility (common to the Californian variant widespread in the USA and more contagious) and the second could give it the power of partial immune evasion, to circumvent the effect of the vaccine. According to the first data from Israel, Pfizer’s vaccine partially effective against B.1.617. The first neutralization tests on the Indian Covaxin vaccine also showed a good response. Outside of India it has a limited circulation: a few hundred cases in Europe (two in Italy) and a few thousand in the world.
The Indian variant: things to know
Are there other variants common in Italy?
In mid-March the second prevalence in Italy was of the variant Brazilian (P.1) with a diffusion equal to 4 percent nationwide. P.1 contains the N501Y mutation from English and E484K from South Africa. In reality it seems that the decrease in efficacy of vaccines against P.1 is slight, while the resistance to monoclonal antibodies and to the plasma of the recovered is more marked: in Brazil, in fact, there are many cases of reinfection in people affected by the original strain ( archaic) of Sars-CoV-2. Another variant present in Italy is the Nigerian (B.1.525), reported by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, linked to a trip to Nigeria and prevalent at 0.6 per cent nationally. It shares some similarities with the English variant and has the E484K mutation.
April 27, 2021 (change April 27, 2021 | 10:44)
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