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B.1.617 is the name
Find more information on the lineage at https://cov-lineages.org/lineages/lineage_B.1.617.html
Find more information on the lineage at https://cov-lineages.org/lineages/lineage_B.1.617.html
This lineage is defined by 15 genetic variants including 6 Spike protein variants.
Two variants of these 6 (E484Q and L452R) are involved in immune escape as well as increased infectivity. More about these variants and immune escape can be found at ESC http://clingen.igib.res.in/esc
Two variants of these 6 (E484Q and L452R) are involved in immune escape as well as increased infectivity. More about these variants and immune escape can be found at ESC http://clingen.igib.res.in/esc
This lineage is also now found in a number of countries including UK, USA, Australia, Singapore and Germany
See thread by @bani_jolly on the Phylogenetic context of the genomes with E484q + L452R https://twitter.com/bani_jolly/status/1379489624397996035?s=20
A recent preprint https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.02.438288v1 suggests L452R could
1. Bind with better affinity to receptor
2. Increase viral replication
3. Escape presentation of an immunodominant epitope by HLA-A*24:02 - making it one of the few variants which can escape T cell immunity.
1. Bind with better affinity to receptor
2. Increase viral replication
3. Escape presentation of an immunodominant epitope by HLA-A*24:02 - making it one of the few variants which can escape T cell immunity.
The Allele Frequencies for HLA-A*24:02 from the #IndiGen dataset of whole genomes is modest at 13.9%
The highest frequencies for this allele is ~80% in Taiwan and East Asia.
More about the IndiGen programme of @CSIR_IND is at https://indigen.igib.in/
The highest frequencies for this allele is ~80% in Taiwan and East Asia.
More about the IndiGen programme of @CSIR_IND is at https://indigen.igib.in/
UK finds more cases of variant B.1.617 linked to severe second wave in India https://www.ft.com/content/a55eb7aa-518a-4e3a-932b-9294314b76e0
#B1617
#B1617
B.1.617 becomes one of the fastest growing lineages in the UK https://twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1383905276693139462?s=20
A simplified overview of B.1.617 by @Samatha_Mathew
https://genomeconnect.blogspot.com/2021/04/ever-evolving-invader-emergence-of-sars.html
https://genomeconnect.blogspot.com/2021/04/ever-evolving-invader-emergence-of-sars.html
Some interesting, but preliminary updates on #B1617 and #vaccine efficacy from @ccmb_csir https://twitter.com/3RakeshMishra/status/1385245798544207875?s=20
B.1.617 is edging closer to being designated a VoC https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/06/new-concerns-indian-covid-variant-clusters-found-across-england-ongoing-risk-high
It seems to be the sublineage B.1.617.2 which is rising in the #UnitedKingdom
https://outbreak.info/situation-reports?pango=B.1.617.2&loc=USA&loc=USA_US-CA&loc=GBR&selected=GBR
https://outbreak.info/situation-reports?pango=B.1.617.2&loc=USA&loc=USA_US-CA&loc=GBR&selected=GBR
Some highlights from the PHE UK Technical briefing now available online https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/984274/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_10_England.pdf
IN SUMMARY:
B.1.617.2 has been showing a rapid increase in a short period of time. compared to the other prevalent variants in UK
IN SUMMARY:
B.1.617.2 has been showing a rapid increase in a short period of time. compared to the other prevalent variants in UK
and a huge increase in prevalence in the last one month in UK reaching over 7% in proportion. The B.1.1.7 is still dominant, but rapidly losing its edge to the B.1.617 over the last few weeks
The lineage has been assigned a VoC clearly because of increased transmission and as per assessment, it is AT LEAST as much transmissible as B.1.1.7 (Kent) variant
In South Africa, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) report sequencing COVID-19 specimens from individuals with a recent travel history to India. The institute can confirm that four of the specimens tested positive for B.1.617.2 http://outbreaknewstoday.com/south-africa-reports-4-cases-of-india-variant-b-1-617-2-58915/
*B.1.617 and Immune Escape updates*
B.1.617 was found to be resistant against Bamlanivimab, an antibody used for COVID-19 treatment.
B.1.617 also evaded antibodies induced by infection or vaccination with BNT162b2 although with moderate efficiency.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.04.442663v1.full
B.1.617 was found to be resistant against Bamlanivimab, an antibody used for COVID-19 treatment.
B.1.617 also evaded antibodies induced by infection or vaccination with BNT162b2 although with moderate efficiency.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.04.442663v1.full
Much lesser of an escape compared to B.1.351 going by the data.
So very likely that the high infectivity / transmissibility is driving the nos. in contrast to immune escape.
Vaccines still remain our best ammunition against the emerging variant.
So very likely that the high infectivity / transmissibility is driving the nos. in contrast to immune escape.
Vaccines still remain our best ammunition against the emerging variant.
And putting together the evidence available at this point in time, B.1.617 is UNLIKELY to be a major immune escape variant. https://twitter.com/vinodscaria/status/1388491992678551554?s=20
