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In a hospital in Peru, employees care for a Covid-19 patient.
Photo: Guadalupe Pardo / AP
The lambda variant of the coronavirus may be resistant to antibodies.
In addition, the variant, which is currently spreading mainly in South America, could be more contagious than the original type of Sars-CoV-2.
This is the conclusion reached by a group of Japanese researchers in a new study.
The results of the study have so far been published as pre-print and have not yet been checked by independent experts.
Vaccinations could be less protective
In the laboratory, the scientists examined, among other things, the spike protein of the lambda virus variant, which is also called C.37.
Three mutations could be observed in this protein, the changes are designated as RSYLTPGD246-253N, as 260 L452Q and F490S.
These three mutations may contribute to the fact that the virus is less able to be neutralized by antibodies.
This means: vaccinations are less effective in protecting against infection.
According to the study, two other mutations, which are described with T76I and L452Q, could lead to people becoming more easily infected with the lambda variant.
A worrying variant?
So far, very little is known about the properties of the lambda variant.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has so far classified the variant as a so-called »variant of interest«, ie as a variant that should be observed.
The research group from Japan is now calling for lambda to be listed as a "variant of concern", a mutant of concern.
Lambda fulfills the criteria for this classification: increased viral infectivity and resistance to antiviral immunity.
It would also make it clearer that the variant posed a serious threat.
It is not yet clear whether the lambda variant is more dangerous than the delta variant.
However, the study's lead researcher, Kei Sato of the University of Tokyo, said lambda could pose "a potential threat to human society."
The first infection with the lambda variant of the coronavirus was detected in Peru in August 2020.
In June, the WHO classified the variant as a "variant under observation".
Infections with lambda have now been found in almost 30 countries, most of them in South America.
And the mutant has now also reached Europe: cases have already occurred in Great Britain, Spain and Italy.
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