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XBB is a recombinant variant
XBB is a recombinant variant, which means it was not derived from a mutation but from the crossover of 2 Omicron subvariants BA.2.75 and BA.2.10.1. Experts are saying they are not concerned about XBB but that is just guessing as there are changes in the SARS-CoV-2 virus that are not just limited to the spike-protein,…
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Omicron subvariants continue to evolve but where is this going?
Omicron subvariants have been mapped out before they are even detected. See diagram in blog below. BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are starting to get a mention now. Read this. https://www.salon.com/2022/10/04/bq1-xbb-variants-resistant/?s=07&fbclid=IwAR0JUeHrfN0P5pqY6NePV_9ejQl6DFGDPI_4md2O8naBTcJX7DPF4xkU4p0 I have also observed that BA.4 may have given in to BA.5, which got to be named a variant of concern in it’s own right, but…
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Is pox crossover possible? Could viruses be the origin of sex in species?
We know that monkeypox virus does not mutate much (being a DNA virus) but can it recombine or crossover with the monkeypox virus from Nigeria or Congo? And what about other orthopoxviruses in animals, or even the small pox vaccine if they still use cowpow or vaccinia. The problem will be exacerbated if animals get…
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Move over for BA.12. Ten-times more infectious than BA.2
A new variant of the novel coronavirus, BA.12, was found in Bihar’s Patna on Thursday. According to the state’s health department, the new variant of Omicron was found in the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS). There is a new kid in town and we have not dealt with waves from BA.2.9, BA.2.2, BA.2.12, BA.2.12.1,…
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Was Denmark too hasty to declare that the coronavirus was just a flu and life was now normal again?
When Denmark’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) dropped to 0.04% (7-day-runng average) in January 2022, the government of Denmark declared the pandemic was over. With a CFR so low, noting that the CFR for influenza is about 0.1 to 0.15%, that made reasonable sense. In early February most restrictions were subsequently lifted. It was said that…
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Omicron BA.2 is quite different from Omicron BA.1. BA.2 is now generating it’s own subvariants. There are now 54 variants of Omicron.
I have always regarded the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron and potentially more dangerous than BA.1 as it is quite different. Up until a week or so ago, BA.1 had generated 19 new subvariants BA.1.*, e.g. BA.1.1 and BA.1.14, and BA.1.17. Now BA.2 is developing new subvariants, like BA.2.1 and BA.2.3. They have appeared in South…
Dr George Christos
covid19 & other Infectious diseases