When it comes to COVID-19, a novel subvariant of the virus known as BA.2 is swiftly becoming the most common source of infection.
When it comes to this strain, immunologists Prakash and Mitzi Nagarkatti of the University of South Carolina discuss the differences between it and earlier versions, as well as whether or not another outbreak will occur here, and what you can do to protect yourself.
The predominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that produces COVID-19, BA.2, is a recent subvariant of omicron. Despite the fact that the origin of BA.2 remains a mystery, it has swiftly become the dominant variant in nations such as India, Denmark, and South Africa. Europe, Asia, and the rest of the globe are seeing a steady rise in the number of cases. B.1.1.529 is the official designation for the omicron form of SARS-CoV-2, which includes three major subvariants: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3. The first omicron subvariant, BA.1, was discovered in South Africa in November of 2021.
This year’s winter rise in infections was mostly caused by BA.1, despite researchers’ belief that those subvariants may have appeared at once. The initial omicron subvariant, BA.1, contains more than 30 changes in the spike protein that lets it enter cells compared to the original form of the virus. Researchers and health experts are extremely concerned about spike protein mutations since they have a significant impact on the infectiousness of a specific variant and the ability of that variant to evade the protective antibodies produced by the body following vaccination or previous infection with COVID-19.
BA.2 contains eight mutations that are distinct from those seen in BA.1, but it also lacks 13 changes that BA.1 possesses. However, BA.2 and BA.1 share roughly 30 mutations. As a result of its genetic resemblance to omicron, it is regarded a subvariant rather than a distinct variation. BA.2 has been dubbed a “stealth” variation by some scientists because it lacks a genetic fingerprint that separates it from the delta version.
Standard PCR assays can still identify the BA.2 variation, but they may not be able to distinguish it from the delta form.
Is this strain more contagious and deadly than others?
It is thought that BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1, but not more virulent. This suggests that, despite the fact that BA.2 has the potential to spread more rapidly than BA.1, it may not be more infectious.
Even though BA.1 has a higher global prevalence, it is associated with milder illness than the delta variation. Several recent studies from the United Kingdom and Denmark have shown that BA.2 has a comparable risk of hospitalization as BA.1
