South African strain of coronavirus - symptoms and why it is dangerous

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The first reports of the existence of this type of coronavirus appeared in the domestic press after its detection. A study of nearly 3,000 genomes, conducted from early spring to late 2020, showed that a mutation in the pathogen caused the second wave of COVID-19. This strain of coronavirus was called South African, and its symptoms, what is dangerous, new information about the development became the subject of increased media attention.

Background of events

In March 2021, a message appeared on the official website of Rospotrebnadzor that the South African strain of coronavirus was found in 2 samples out of 8 thousand studied in Russia. Despite the earlier discovery of the modified genome, data on the appearance of the mutated strain were released only at the end of 2020.

Interesting! New symptoms of coronavirus in humans in 2021 in Russia

WHO experts did not see an increased danger in the emergence of a new strain. But this is not a criterion for determining the existing risks. It is worth remembering that at the beginning of last year, they did not consider it necessary to introduce a pandemic mode after the appearance of alarming messages from Chinese doctors from the infection cluster. Then half of the experts voted against the adoption of emergency measures.

Earlier, messages were posted by scientists explaining why COVID-19 received a relatively small spread on the African continent: a gene mutation was found in its indigenous population that prevented the pathogen from entering a living cell.

The virus began to adapt to difficulties, and then South Africa became the first country in Africa where the pandemic was widespread. In December last year, there were over a million infected. The mutation of the coronavirus has led to its spread at an unprecedented rate.

The South African strain of the coronavirus, designated 501. V2 in scientific circles, forced the termination of air traffic with the country, and for some time the isolation gave results. But in February 2021, several hundred infected were found in Austria, forcing the Austrian authorities to recommend the termination of communication with Tyrol, where the outbreak was found.

The answer to the question whether there is already a strain from South Africa in Russia was given by Rospotrebnadzor in a message dated March 16. The exact date of the appearance in Russia of the strain from the southern tip of the African continent is unknown, there is only a day when officially confirmed information about this was received.

Risks and Dangers

There are some particularly troubling circumstances in the reports about the dangers of the South African strain of the coronavirus. The symptoms of the disease are not particularly different, tests simply show the presence of the virus.

Interesting! British strain of coronavirus in Russia in 2021

Mutations have led to the following circumstances:

• there were significant changes in the spine of the crown, which gave the pathogen a higher ability to attach to and penetrate cells;
• according to some reports, the immune system of ill patients does not recognize it, hence the increased risk of re-infection;
• a severe and moderate form of the disease develops more often than with the original strain;
• to get sick with the South African strain of coronavirus, you do not have to be of old age or even be at risk;
• The WHO has confirmed the data that its contagiousness is 50% higher, as well as the rate of spread.

South African authorities have postponed testing of some American and German-made vaccines, which proved to be ineffective. The manufacturers argue that there is no sufficient basis for such claims and ask for a 6-week time limit for research to prove the need for correction.

Most immunizing drugs are based on counteracting the thorn, which has undergone mutations, hence the increased ability of the strain to penetrate the immune barrier. There are suggestions that in this case the most effective vaccine will be "KoviVac" (a vaccine from the Chumakov center, built according to the usual principle and containing a deactivated virus).

It works against the pathogen as a whole, and not against its individual fragments. A. Ishmukhametov, director of the center, recently said that vector vaccines may be ineffective, and that drugs with a killed pathogen behind their backs have three hundred years of classic vaccination methods.

Why is 501. V2B dangerous? The list of all factors invariably contains a mutation of the crown thorn, which allows it to penetrate into the human body much faster. Some scientists argue that there is a tendency for such a change in all already discovered and labeled strains of SARS-CoV-2. This suggests that, in addition to failures of a weak matrix, which allows errors in replication and does not lead to any sign modifications, some of the mutations are purposeful and lead to the pathogen's resistance to the defenses of the human body.

501. V2 Infection Symptoms

In addition to the more frequent development of a form of moderate severity and dangerous complications, with an inattentive examination, there are almost no differences in symptoms. There is constant fatigue and weakness, sleep disturbance, cephalgia and myalgia, joint pain, cough and sore throat. Nausea and diarrhea, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, confusion, and a feeling of suffocation appear with a much lower frequency. Loss of performance is almost always noted.

Doctors of the country note a wide spread of the disease among young able-bodied people, who are not at risk for any parameters. They often develop a severe form, which suggests that the South African strain is more aggressive. In an asymptomatic form, the disease can be diagnosed by severe weakness, which is observed in patients for 7-14 days.

Outcomes

1. The coronavirus mutation found in South Africa has now been diagnosed in Austria and there are several cases in Russia.
2. In terms of symptoms, the disease differs little from the original variant.
3. Increased contagiousness and spreading rate were noted.
4. The severe form develops more often, occurs in young people who are not at risk.
5. A distinctive feature of the new strain is considered to be a strong weakness that appears in a patient from the first days of the disease.