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SARS-CoV-2 variant biology: immune escape, transmission and fitness.
Carabelli, Alessandro M; Peacock, Thomas P; Thorne, Lucy G; Harvey, William T; Hughes, Joseph; Peacock, Sharon J; Barclay, Wendy S; de Silva, Thushan I; Towers, Greg J; Robertson, David L.
  • Carabelli AM; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
  • Peacock TP; Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Medical School, Imperial College London, London, UK.
  • Thorne LG; Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK.
  • Harvey WT; MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
  • Hughes J; Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
  • Barclay WS; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
  • de Silva TI; Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Medical School, Imperial College London, London, UK.
  • Towers GJ; Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, Medical School, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
  • Robertson DL; Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK.
Nat Rev Microbiol ; 21(3): 162-177, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2239524
ABSTRACT
In late 2020, after circulating for almost a year in the human population, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exhibited a major step change in its adaptation to humans. These highly mutated forms of SARS-CoV-2 had enhanced rates of transmission relative to previous variants and were termed 'variants of concern' (VOCs). Designated Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron, the VOCs emerged independently from one another, and in turn each rapidly became dominant, regionally or globally, outcompeting previous variants. The success of each VOC relative to the previously dominant variant was enabled by altered intrinsic functional properties of the virus and, to various degrees, changes to virus antigenicity conferring the ability to evade a primed immune response. The increased virus fitness associated with VOCs is the result of a complex interplay of virus biology in the context of changing human immunity due to both vaccination and prior infection. In this Review, we summarize the literature on the relative transmissibility and antigenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants, the role of mutations at the furin spike cleavage site and of non-spike proteins, the potential importance of recombination to virus success, and SARS-CoV-2 evolution in the context of T cells, innate immunity and population immunity. SARS-CoV-2 shows a complicated relationship among virus antigenicity, transmission and virulence, which has unpredictable implications for the future trajectory and disease burden of COVID-19.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Topics: Vaccines / Variants Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Nat Rev Microbiol Journal subject: Microbiology Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41579-022-00841-7

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 Topics: Vaccines / Variants Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Nat Rev Microbiol Journal subject: Microbiology Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S41579-022-00841-7