世界衛(wèi)生組織(World Health Organization)在需留意的新冠病毒變異株名單上又增加了一個(gè)新變種:Lambda變異毒株。
目前,該變種病毒已經(jīng)擴(kuò)散至20多個(gè)國(guó)家,其中大部分主要集中在南美洲。去年,秘魯首次發(fā)現(xiàn)Lambda變種,而在過(guò)去兩個(gè)月里,這種病毒感染了該國(guó)82%的新病例。與此同時(shí),智利有大約三分之一的病例攜帶Lambda病毒株,而英國(guó)也是出現(xiàn)零星病例的國(guó)家之一。6月中,世界衛(wèi)生組織首次將其列為值得留意的變異病毒株——這種變種病毒可能比原病毒株更易傳播,已經(jīng)在多個(gè)國(guó)家爆發(fā)疫情,或從理論上來(lái)看可能導(dǎo)致更嚴(yán)重的疾病,或更不易受現(xiàn)有治療方式和疫苗干預(yù)。
不過(guò),相較德?tīng)査茸兎N病毒,此刻想確定Lambda是否比其他病毒株更致命,或是否對(duì)疫苗和治療方式產(chǎn)生耐藥性,還為時(shí)過(guò)早。
變異株的傳播性增強(qiáng),并不代表一定有更強(qiáng)的致命性。根據(jù)以色列的新研究顯示,以輝瑞(Pfizer)/BioNTech疫苗為例,對(duì)預(yù)防感染德?tīng)査兎N病毒或輕癥的效力可能只有64%,但在預(yù)防重癥或需住院治療方面,效用仍然達(dá)到90%以上。
公共衛(wèi)生官員敦促需展開更多研究和追蹤工作,以評(píng)估Lambda變異株的威脅程度。一項(xiàng)非常初步的研究發(fā)現(xiàn),Lambda變異毒株的刺突蛋白(會(huì)附著人體細(xì)胞上的結(jié)構(gòu))的特定突變會(huì)增加感染性,并且能夠躲過(guò)人體免疫系統(tǒng)的識(shí)別。盡管沒(méi)有哪一種疫苗對(duì)所有病毒株完全有效,但擴(kuò)大疫苗接種范圍至關(guān)重要。
隨著新冠疫情的持續(xù)蔓延,可能還會(huì)有新的變種陸續(xù)出現(xiàn)。這表明,對(duì)病毒變異的基因監(jiān)測(cè)也非常重要。只有這樣,各大公司才盡可能有充足的時(shí)間,研發(fā)潛在的加強(qiáng)型疫苗和新的治療方案。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Emily
世界衛(wèi)生組織(World Health Organization)在需留意的新冠病毒變異株名單上又增加了一個(gè)新變種:Lambda變異毒株。
目前,該變種病毒已經(jīng)擴(kuò)散至20多個(gè)國(guó)家,其中大部分主要集中在南美洲。去年,秘魯首次發(fā)現(xiàn)Lambda變種,而在過(guò)去兩個(gè)月里,這種病毒感染了該國(guó)82%的新病例。與此同時(shí),智利有大約三分之一的病例攜帶Lambda病毒株,而英國(guó)也是出現(xiàn)零星病例的國(guó)家之一。6月中,世界衛(wèi)生組織首次將其列為值得留意的變異病毒株——這種變種病毒可能比原病毒株更易傳播,已經(jīng)在多個(gè)國(guó)家爆發(fā)疫情,或從理論上來(lái)看可能導(dǎo)致更嚴(yán)重的疾病,或更不易受現(xiàn)有治療方式和疫苗干預(yù)。
不過(guò),相較德?tīng)査茸兎N病毒,此刻想確定Lambda是否比其他病毒株更致命,或是否對(duì)疫苗和治療方式產(chǎn)生耐藥性,還為時(shí)過(guò)早。
變異株的傳播性增強(qiáng),并不代表一定有更強(qiáng)的致命性。根據(jù)以色列的新研究顯示,以輝瑞(Pfizer)/BioNTech疫苗為例,對(duì)預(yù)防感染德?tīng)査兎N病毒或輕癥的效力可能只有64%,但在預(yù)防重癥或需住院治療方面,效用仍然達(dá)到90%以上。
公共衛(wèi)生官員敦促需展開更多研究和追蹤工作,以評(píng)估Lambda變異株的威脅程度。一項(xiàng)非常初步的研究發(fā)現(xiàn),Lambda變異毒株的刺突蛋白(會(huì)附著人體細(xì)胞上的結(jié)構(gòu))的特定突變會(huì)增加感染性,并且能夠躲過(guò)人體免疫系統(tǒng)的識(shí)別。盡管沒(méi)有哪一種疫苗對(duì)所有病毒株完全有效,但擴(kuò)大疫苗接種范圍至關(guān)重要。
隨著新冠疫情的持續(xù)蔓延,可能還會(huì)有新的變種陸續(xù)出現(xiàn)。這表明,對(duì)病毒變異的基因監(jiān)測(cè)也非常重要。只有這樣,各大公司才盡可能有充足的時(shí)間,研發(fā)潛在的加強(qiáng)型疫苗和新的治療方案。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Emily
The World Health Organization (WHO) has added another COVID strain to its list of coronavirus variants to keep an eye on: the COVID-19 Lambda variant.
This particular variant has now spread to more than two dozen countries, with a heavy concentration in South America. Originally identified in Peru last year, the Lambda variant is responsible for 82% of new COVID cases in Peru over the past two months. About a third of cases in Chile over the same time frame were also caused by the Lambda strain, and the U.K. is among the countries that have seen a smattering of cases. In mid-June, it was first deemed a variant of interest by the WHO—a designation given to a variant which may be more transmissible than the original strain, has caused outbreaks in multiple countries, or theoretically could cause more severe COVID illness or be more adept at evading currently available treatments and vaccines.
At this point, as is the case with other variants such as the Delta variant, it’s too early to know whether the Lambda could be more deadly than other strains or whether it’s resistant to vaccines or treatments.
An increase in transmissibility doesn’t necessarily mean that a variant is more deadly. Take the case of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID vaccine, which may only be about 64% effective in preventing the Delta variant’s spread or minor COVID symptoms but is still more than 90% effective in preventing serious illness or hospitalization, according to new research out of Israel.
Public health officials are urging that more study and follow-up are needed to assess the nature of the Lambda variant’s threat. One very preliminary study finds that the specific mutations in the Lambda variant’s spike protein, the biological tool it uses to latch on to your cells, can increase both its infectiousness and help it evade your body’s immune system, making ongoing vaccination campaigns critical even if not every vaccine is completely effective against every coronavirus strain.
As COVID continues to spread, new variants will likely continue to emerge. It demonstrates the importance of genomic surveillance of COVID mutations so that companies have as much time as possible to prepare potential booster vaccines and new forms of coronavirus treatments.