The global epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their mutational immune escape

Dandan Tian; YanHong Sun; JianMing Zhou; Qing Ye

doi:10.1002/jmv.27376

The global epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their mutational immune escape

J Med Virol. 2022 Mar;94(3):847-857. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27376. Epub 2021 Oct 13.

Authors

Dandan Tian¹, YanHong Sun¹, JianMing Zhou¹, Qing Ye¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children's Regional Medical Center, the Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been emerging and spreading around the world. Several SARS-CoV-2 endemic variants were found in United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, and India between 2020 and April 2021. Studies have shown that many SARS-CoV-2 variants are more infectious than early wild strain and produce immune escape. These SARS-CoV-2 variants have brought new challenges to the prevention and control of COVID-19. This review summarizes and analyzes the biological characteristics of different amino acid mutations and the epidemic characteristics and immune escape of different SARS-CoV-2 variants. We hope to provide scientific reference for the monitoring, prevention, and control measures of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and the development strategy of the second-generation vaccine.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 variants; immune escape; mutations.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Mutation
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2* / genetics

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines

Supplementary concepts

SARS-CoV-2 variants