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- Contagious variants: ultramutant strain of coronavirus may come to Russia
Contagious variants: ultramutant strain of coronavirus may come to Russia
The PJ coronavirus variant.2.1, which is circulating in Canada, the United States and Europe, may appear in Russia in the near future or is already spreading in the country, but has not yet been identified, experts told Izvestia. According to scientific publications, this strain has acquired a significantly higher ability to penetrate human cells compared to its predecessors and quickly accumulates new mutations, allowing it to more effectively evade the immune response. Evaluate how effective it is against PJ.2.1 The Sputnik V vaccine will be available only based on the results of experiments, the Gamaleya Center noted. At the same time, the new variant does not cause severe symptoms and mainly infects the elderly. Special attention should now be paid to its diagnosis, doctors emphasize.
PJ.2.1 may arrive in Russia
The PJ coronavirus variant.2.1, which is actively spreading in the United States and Europe, may appear in our country in the near future or is already being transmitted internally, but has not yet been identified, Albert Rizvanov, head of the Center for Excellence in Personalized Medicine at KFU, told Izvestia.
— As for Russia, in the context of modern international travel, new variants of coronavirus can spread between countries in a matter of days. It is possible that individual imported cases have already occurred, but have gone unnoticed. However, the appearance of the virus in the country does not mean that it will become dominant. We have seen a lot of options that initially caused concern among scientists, but have not been widely used," he said.
PJ.2.1 was first identified in May 2026. According to one version, it was formed in the body of an immunodeficient patient in the Canadian province of Ontario. Cases of infection have also been recorded in the United States and Spain. Due to the large number of genetic changes, he became known as an ultramutant.
According to Albert Rizvanov, it is necessary not to track every new mutation, but to maintain an effective genetic monitoring system that allows timely detection of truly significant changes in the virus. In addition, it must be remembered that a negative rapid test based on test strips does not always exclude coronavirus infection, especially when new options become available. With characteristic symptoms, PCR remains the most reliable method of confirmation. And the final answer can be given by decoding the genome.
— I would not consider the appearance of PJ.2.1 as a harbinger of a new dangerous wave of coronavirus. We have repeatedly observed the appearance of variants with a large number of mutations, for example, "pyrolysis" BA.2.86. It is assumed that such viruses can occur in patients with weakened immune systems when the infection persists for months. During this time, the virus undergoes a kind of accelerated evolution, accumulating changes that help it adapt to the human body," the scientist said.
However, a higher number of mutations does not mean a greater danger. Even if the virus penetrates cells more efficiently, this does not mean that it is more easily transmitted between people or causes a more severe disease. There is no reason to consider PJ yet.2.1 is fundamentally more dangerous than other circulating options, he stressed.
According to a study by German scientists, the discovered variant differs significantly from its predecessors and is characterized by multiple mutations in the spike protein of the coronavirus responsible for entering human cells. At the same time, it mainly affects patients aged 60 years and older. Chinese scientists call the strain spasmodic because of the large number of changes compared to the ancestors.
PJ.2.1 has an exceptionally high ability to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. Currently, this variant does not know how to evade the immune response as effectively as some other modern strains. However, its high ability to bind to receptors creates a kind of "safety margin" for it, allowing it to accumulate mutations faster aimed at overcoming immune defenses.
Does the ultramutant vaccine work?
Widespread use of PJ.The worldwide situation is a serious reason for epidemiological monitoring of this strain and checking the need to update existing vaccines, said Alexander Ginzburg, scientific director of the Gamalea Center.
— If there is an increase in the number of cases of infection with this strain, this is a reason to check the virus neutralizing activity in those people who have been vaccinated. Even the most modern modeling methods do not allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug against this variant, experiments with antibodies that are produced in response to the Sputnik V vaccine are needed," Alexander Ginzburg told Izvestia.
According to Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist at Invitro, the main focus now should be on diagnosing a new variant.
— The question is primarily in the rapid diagnosis. It is recommended to use PCR, as it captures the most stable areas. Now we have another variant of the virus that has deeply mutated. It is worse detected by rapid tests due to the fact that its antigenic structure has changed. But if it becomes dominant with a more severe or prolonged course, then tests will be adjusted for it," said Andrey Pozdnyakov.
According to immunologist Mikhail Bolkov, the differences are PJ.The differences from the previous variants are visible only in laboratory studies, and not in clinical practice. Whether it will become widespread is impossible to predict now. Theoretically, mutations have made it more contagious, but antibodies developed against previous strains act against it. In order to become dominant, it needs to compete with other genetic lines. If PJ.If he cannot squeeze them out of the population, then he will never reach the Russian Federation.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
