Omicron variant in COVID-19 current pandemic: a reason for apprehension
- PMID: 36064193
- DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2022-0010
Omicron variant in COVID-19 current pandemic: a reason for apprehension
Abstract
COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, but was caused by the original coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2). In early 2020, there was a widespread breakout of cases well over world, resulting in an epidemic that rapidly escalated to become a pandemic. This abruptly shook the global healthcare system. The emergence of the alpha, beta, and delta SARS-CoV-2 were associated with new waves of infections, sometimes across the entire world but until this month i.e., between Nov-Dec, 2021, Delta variant reigned supreme until the emergence of a newer variant i.e., Omicron (B.1.1.529) of SARS-CoV-2. Delta had 13 mutations. Of these, nine are in the spike protein, the protrusion on the surface of the virus that helps it latch onto human cells. Specifically, two are in a molecular hook, called the "receptor-binding domain". Omicron, a creation caused by monstrous mutations. At least 32 mutations are in the spike protein and 10 in the receptor-binding domain. was designated a COVID-19 variant of concern (VoC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 26th November 2021. Structurally, the omicron variant has shown too mutated at antibody binding sites which would leverage them for escaping the possible immune response by the body. We don't yet know much about the other alterations and how they might affect the virus's behavior. Omicron COVID-19 strain after identifying individuals with symptoms that were not the same as those seen in the Delta form. People with night sweats have also been reported. The new omicron variant has more mutations than the prevailing rampant delta virus. This makes the newer variant more transmissible, better able to evade itself from various vaccines readily available in the current scenario. These overall increases in the percentage changes in a single day cases of COVID-19 reported cases can be attributed to the beginning of third wave or can be speculated as newer surge of omicron variant cases. Yet another new variant has been detected in France with 46 mutations and 37 deletions in its genetic code, many affecting the spike protein. 'B.1.640.2' is the current nomenclature for this variation.
Keywords: COVID-19; delta variant; omicron variant; perspective; symptoms.
© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
Similar articles
-
Human serum from SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated and COVID-19 patients shows reduced binding to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.BMC Med. 2022 Mar 3;20(1):102. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02312-5. BMC Med. 2022. PMID: 35236358 Free PMC article.
-
Unraveling the Dynamics of Omicron (BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5) Waves and Emergence of the Deltacton Variant: Genomic Epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic in Cyprus (Oct 2021-Oct 2022).Viruses. 2023 Sep 15;15(9):1933. doi: 10.3390/v15091933. Viruses. 2023. PMID: 37766339 Free PMC article.
-
Omicron and Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2: A comparative computational study of spike protein.J Med Virol. 2022 Apr;94(4):1641-1649. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27526. Epub 2021 Dec 27. J Med Virol. 2022. PMID: 34914115
-
The emergence and epidemic characteristics of the highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.J Med Virol. 2022 Jun;94(6):2376-2383. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27643. Epub 2022 Feb 11. J Med Virol. 2022. PMID: 35118687 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Omicron Genetic and Clinical Peculiarities That May Overturn SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Literature Review.Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 11;23(4):1987. doi: 10.3390/ijms23041987. Int J Mol Sci. 2022. PMID: 35216104 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Impact of smartphone on mental health among medical undergraduates: A cross-sectional study.J Educ Health Promot. 2024 Apr 29;13:137. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_806_23. eCollection 2024. J Educ Health Promot. 2024. PMID: 38784258 Free PMC article.
-
Updates on the Biofunctionalization of Gold Nanoparticles for the Rapid and Sensitive Multiplatform Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 Virus and Its Proteins: From Computational Models to Validation in Human Samples.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 25;24(11):9249. doi: 10.3390/ijms24119249. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. PMID: 37298201 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Physical Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Population of Italian Healthcare Workers.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 3;20(5):4506. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20054506. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023. PMID: 36901516 Free PMC article.
-
Clinical trials on the pharmacological treatment of long COVID: A systematic review.J Med Virol. 2023 Jan;95(1):e28289. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28289. Epub 2022 Nov 18. J Med Virol. 2023. PMID: 36349400 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- World Health Organization . Classification of omicron (B.1.1.529): SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern ; 2021. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.... .
-
- Poudel, S, Ishak, A, Perez-Fernandez, J, Garcia, E, León-Figueroa, DA, Romaní, L, et al.. Highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant sparks significant concern among global experts – what is known so far? Trav Med Infect Dis 2022;45:102234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102234 . - DOI
-
- Vaughan, A. Omicron emerges. New Sci 2021;252:7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0262-4079(21)02140-0 . - DOI
-
- GISAID. hCov19 variants ; 2021. Available from: https://www.gisaid.org [Accessed 2 Dec 2021].
-
- GISAID. hCov19 variants ; 2021. Available from: https://www.gisaid.org [Accessed 4 Dec 2021].
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Supplementary concepts
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Research Materials
Miscellaneous