Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2: What Do We Know So Far?
- 15 June 2021
- journal article
- editorial
- Published by American Thoracic Society in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
- Vol. 203 (12), P30-P32
- https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.2021c5
Abstract
Viruses are not living cells. They are made up of a coat of protein wrapped around a genetic code (RNA or DNA). A virus needs to get into a living cell (host) to make more virus copies (replicate). Viruses constantly change parts of their genetic code as they replicate, which can lead to variations in how the virus behaves. Some variations in the genetic code weaken the virus while others make the virus more transmissible (make it spread more easily), more virulent (make it cause more severe disease and death), or help the virus better escape the body's defense system. SARS CoV-2 is the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. This fact sheet describes what we currently know about variants of SARS CoV-2, why they are important, and what you can do to stay safe.This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit:
- SARS-CoV-2 Viral Variants—Tackling a Moving TargetJAMA, 2021
- Emergence of a Novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Southern CaliforniaJAMA, 2021
- SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines and the Growing Threat of Viral VariantsJAMA, 2021
- SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the United States—Challenges and OpportunitiesJAMA, 2021
- Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2—What Do They Mean?JAMA, 2021
- SARS-CoV-2 variant evades antibodies whilst maintaining fitnessNature Reviews Immunology, 2021
- Understanding variants of SARS-CoV-2The Lancet, 2021
- Emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant in the UKJournal of Infection, 2020
- A SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine — Preliminary ReportThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2020
- A dynamic nomenclature proposal for SARS-CoV-2 lineages to assist genomic epidemiologyNature Microbiology, 2020