Coronavirus P.1 - What is known so far in connection with the SARS-CoV-2 mutation from Brazil with regard to infection, symptoms and vaccine effectiveness.
Manaus - The capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas extends with more than two million inhabitants in the confluence of the Rio Negro into the Amazon.
When around three quarters of the population were infected with the coronavirus in November 2020, studies revealed the occurrence of a new virus variant.
The coronavirus B. mutation from Brazil from line B.1.1.28 is also known as lineage P.1.
Coronavirus P.1 - the mutation from Brazil
In autumn 2020, epidemiologists were baffled by an explosive increase in coronavirus infections in Manaus.
This came unexpectedly, as a high proportion of the population had already gone through an infection in spring 2020.
For this reason, studies published in the journal Science in the summer assumed a seroprevalence of 66 percent.
This denotes the detection of corresponding antibodies and, according to virologists, could have been sufficient to make Manaus the world's first city with herd immunity.
Instead, the number of people infected continued to rise.
Scientists therefore fear an escape mutation, which suggests that the coronavirus P.1 has adapted to the immune response of its hosts.
As a result, infection is possible again after a corona infection has been overcome.
Coronavirus P.1 - occurrence, symptoms & spread of the mutation
Nuno Faria is a professor at Oxford University and a virologist at Imperial College London.
When he and his team examined samples on the occasion of the increase in infections in Manaus, a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in 13 of 31 cases.
It comes from the line B.1.1.28 and was called Coronavirus P.1 (also 501Y.V.3 or B.1.1.248).
In early January, the mutation was discovered in Japan as part of a routine screening at Haneda Airport in four travelers from the Amazon region.
While one teenage person had no symptoms, two had a fever, sore throat, and headache.
The fourth - a man over 40 years old - was admitted to hospital with acute breathing problems.
At the end of January, the virus mutation P.1 was detected in a person returning from Brazil in Germany.
As of March 6, 2021, 14 infections with the P.1 virus were known in Germany.
According to the "Deutsches Ärzteblatt", the new virus variant had already appeared in the following countries at the beginning of March: Japan, USA, Colombia, French Guiana, France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, and Great Britain.
Individual cases were known from Peru, Mexico, the Faroe Islands, South Korea, Ireland and Spain.
Researchers are currently (as of March 2021) investigating the connection between the increase in COVID infections in Manaus and the occurrence of the mutation P.1.
Coronavirus B. Mutation P.1 - Contagion & Vaccine Effectiveness
Currently (as of March 2021), intensive research is being carried out around the world to determine whether and in what form coronavirus B. mutations - including variant P.1 from Brazil - have an effect.
The focus is on infection (virulence), transferability, the course of the disease, the risk to children and the effectiveness of the vaccine (immunogenicity).
The following Coronavius B. variants are classified as worrying:
B.1.1.7, first occurred in Great Britain
B. 1,351, discovered in South Africa
B. 1525, contains genetic modifications of the British and South African variants
B.1.1.248, first appearance in Brazil
An infection is also detected in the case of coronavirus B. mutations such as P.1 using a PCR test.
With regard to the symptoms, no deviations have been found so far, and symptom-free courses have also been found.
However, the risk of infection seems to be much higher.
Because P.1 differs from the original form of SARS-CoV-2 by 17 changes in the amino acids.
Among them are ten in the spike proteins, which are of central importance in binding to the host cells.
Due to similarities with variant B.1.351, researchers are discussing a reduced effectiveness of antibodies, which would mean a lower vaccine effectiveness.
The vaccines are designed to prevent a severe course of COVID disease.
The vaccine effectiveness in relation to the mutation P.1 is currently being intensively researched (as of March 16, 2021).