Kasper said. Each time a replication occurs, there is a small chance that code could change. When you have this go over a huge population over time, the odds start to favor that the virus will adjust. If a virus changes enough, it could be difficult to detect with existing tests , respond differently to treatments and medications or become unrecognizable to the antibodies developed after an infection or vaccination. This variant B. It is not known whether the B.
Fortunately, the available vaccines provide protection from B. There are additional variant strains that will be under close watch from worldwide health leaders. The pandemic virus is slowly mutating. But is it getting more dangerous? Challenge 2: How does a virus enter a host? Challenge 3: Molecular Hijacking: How does a virus take over?
Challenge 4: How do mutations cause viral evolution? Your browser is antiquated and no longer supported on this website. Please update your browser or switch to Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
These variants are labeled as such because they have increased rates of transmission. They can also lead to increased hospitalizations or deaths, major reductions in the neutralization of viruses by antibodies or reductions in the effectiveness of treatments or vaccines. It might also be a little harder to detect variants of concern. As of right now, there are four variants of concern: alpha, beta, delta and gamma. This system makes things easier to understand and helps prevent misreporting.
It also can help eliminate stigmatizing and discriminatory labels that people often use when they refer to variants by their places of origin. Experts say a particular strain of the delta variant a mutated version of the variant that is more infectious is responsible for the recent surge of cases in the United Kingdom.
This strain, B. While research is ongoing, early data also suggests that this particular variant could be one of the driving forces behind the enormous surge in cases — and, subsequently, COVID deaths — in India in the spring.
In mid-May, it accounted for only 2. It has caused substantial morbidity. With the delta variant, the symptoms seem to be a little milder. There have been fewer reports of loss of smell and cough and more reports of symptoms like headache, runny nose, sore throat and fever.
Delta variant symptoms in children have been mild as well. They include:. Viruses mutate constantly. This is especially true of viruses that contain RNA as their genetic material, such as coronaviruses and influenza viruses.
Once a virus gets into your body — usually through your mouth or nose — it latches onto one of your cells.
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