Why do new variants of Covid-19 keep appearing? Laura Foster explains
India has classified a new variant of the coronavirus first identified in Europe as a “variant of concern”, but it’s too early to tell whether it poses a significant threat.
India’s health ministry says studies showed that the so-called Delta plus variant – also known as AY.1 – spreads more easily, binds more easily to lung cells and is potentially resistant to monoclonal antibody therapy, a potent intravenous infusion of antibodies to neutralise the virus.
The variant is related to the Delta, an existing variant of concern, which was first identified in India last year and is thought to have driven the deadly second wave of infections this summer in India.
The health ministry says the Delta plus variant, first found in India in April, has been detected in around 40 samples from six districts in three states – Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. At least 16 of these samples were found in Maharashtra, one of the states hardest hit by the pandemic.
Delta plus has also been found in nine other countries – USA, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, Russia and China – compared to the original highly contagious Delta strain, which has now spread to 80 countries.
“You need to study a few hundred patients who are sick with this condition and variant and find out whether they are at greater risk of greater disease than the ancestral variant,” Dr Kang said.
The Delta plus variant contains an additional mutation called K417N on the coronavirus spike, which has been found in the Beta and Gamma variants, first found in South Africa and Brazil respectively (Beta was linked to increased hospitalisation and deaths during South Africa’s first wave of infections, while Gamma was estimated to be highly transmissible).
Even with 166 examples of Delta plus shared on GISAID, a global open sharing database, “we don’t have much reason to believe this is any more dangerous than the original Delta,” according to Dr Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.
News
Bowel and Ovarian Cancers Are Dramatically Rising in Young Adults, Scientists Aren’t Sure Why
Cancer incidence is increasing, especially among younger adults, and current risk factors don’t fully account for the trend. Scientists suggest other underlying causes may be contributing. Cancer patterns in England are shifting in a [...]
New Immune Pathway Could Supercharge mRNA Cancer Vaccines
A surprising backup system in the immune response to mRNA vaccines may hold the key to more effective cancer treatments. The arrival of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 marked a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, [...]
Scientists Discover “Molecular Switch” That Fuels Alzheimer’s Brain Inflammation
A newly identified trigger of brain inflammation could offer a fresh target for slowing Alzheimer’s progression. The brain has its own built-in immune system that identifies threats and responds to them. In Alzheimer’s disease, growing evidence [...]
Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine – New book from NanoappsMedical Inc.
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
Forgotten Medicinal Plant Shows Promise in Fighting Dangerous Superbugs
A traditional medicinal plant, tormentil, shows promise against antibiotic-resistant bacteria in laboratory tests. Its compounds work by limiting bacterial growth and boosting antibiotic performance. Before the development of modern antibiotics, plant-based remedies were commonly [...]
NanoMedical Brain/Cloud Interface – Explorations and Implications. A new book from Frank Boehm
New book from Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc Founder: This book explores the future hypothetical possibility that the cerebral cortex of the human brain might be seamlessly, safely, and securely connected with the Cloud via [...]
New Research Finds Shocking Link Between Chili Peppers and Cancer
If you love spicy food, you are not alone. But scientists are taking a closer look at whether eating a lot of chili peppers could affect your cancer risk. Could your love of spicy [...]
New book from Nanoappsmedical Inc. – Global Health Care Equivalency
A new book by Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc. Founder. This groundbreaking volume explores the vision of a Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) system powered by artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, operating on secure [...]
Scientists Create “Neurobots” – Living Machines With Their Own Nervous Systems
Neurobots—xenobots with neurons—show self-organized nervous systems and enhanced behaviors, revealing new insights into how biology builds functional structures. In 2020, researchers at Tufts University developed tiny living structures known as xenobots using frog cells. These microscopic organisms [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Amazonian Chocolate Could Become the Next Superfood, Scientists Say
New research into Amazonian cocoa reveals that its value may extend beyond flavor alone. Chocolate from the Amazon is already known worldwide for its distinctive taste, but new research suggests it may offer even [...]
Nanobody repairs misfolded CFTR inside cells, boosting function in cystic fibrosis
A tiny antibody component could fundamentally transform the treatment of cystic fibrosis: For the first time, researchers have succeeded in developing a so-called nanobody that penetrates directly into human cells and can repair the [...]
20-Year Study Finds Daily Multivitamins Don’t Extend Lifespan
A large, decades-long study of over 390,000 U.S. adults challenges a widespread assumption about daily multivitamins. Multivitamins are a daily habit for millions of Americans, often taken with the expectation that they will extend [...]
Novel Investment Paradigms for Regenerative Healthcare Ecosystems
Introduction The transition toward regenerative healthcare ecosystems—anchored in wellness optimization, disease prevention, eradication strategies, and healthy longevity—necessitates a structural reconfiguration of capital architectures, governance models, and incentive design. Regenerative healthcare, by definition, transcends episodic [...]
What If Consciousness Exists Beyond Your Brain
Scientists still don’t know how consciousness emerges from the brain. New ideas suggest it may not emerge at all, but instead be a basic feature of reality. Is consciousness produced by the brain, or [...]
Scientists Discover Way To Treat Lung Cancer and Its Deadly Side Effect Together
A new approach using lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic material is showing promise in tackling two major challenges in lung cancer at once.Researchers at Oregon State University have designed a new way to tackle two of [...]
