SARS-CoV-2 variants： origin， drivers and prevention measures

VernacularTitle:新型冠状病毒的变异株进展：起源、变异动力与防控措施
Author: Jiaying SHEN ¹ ; Jiansheng LIN ² ; Guangwen CAO ¹
Author Information

1. Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200331, China
2. School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, China
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: COVID-19; APOBEC; viral evolution; SARS-CoV-2; prevention
From: Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2022;34(1):81-86
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: COVID-19 has emerged around the world since December 2019 and rapidly evolves as a major global public health challenge. SARS-CoV-2 is a positive single-stranded RNA virus with a relatively high natural mutation rate. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants is generally considered as the outcome of a “mutation-selection-adaption” process. The enzyme APOBECs that is activated in the inflammatory microenvironment may facilitate viral mutagenesis. Currently， the major SARS-CoV-2 variants that impose public health significance are B.1.1.7， B.1.351， P.1， B.1.6.7.2， B.1.1.529 and so on， with probably increasing transmissibility， decreasing reactivity to the neutralizing antibodies， immune escape， and enhancing disease severity and mortality. Consequently， it warrants up-to-date countermeasures against evolving SARS-CoV-2， including tracing viral mutagenesis， developing vaccines against major variants， and enhancing social distancing.