Corona virus often mutates. The question is, how fast is the mutation of the virus that causes COVID-19 and what affects it?
Let's clarify a little. Genetic mutation is very much needed. Without mutations, there would be no humans after Adam and Eve, there would be no mammals, insects, plants or bacteria. Viruses are also included in it.
Surprisingly, the SARS-CoV-2 virus seemed to mutate so quickly. Now, the variant has reached the Omicron variant -- the 15th letter from Greece.
"We are creating variants like 'gangbusters' today because we have so many humans infected with SARS-CoV-2," said Siobain Duffy, Vial Evolutionary Biologist at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
But many of these variants have disappeared. The question is why did the virus change? What mechanism plays a role as the mastermind for developing the virus?
"Viruses will change because that's the underlying biology," said Simon Anthony, a virologist who works in infectious disease at the University of California, Davis.
"The question then becomes, is the change significant for us?" he continued.
So, it is clear that mutations are normal for viruses including SARS-CoV-2. Well, every time a new copy is made, there is a chance that an error will occur and cause a mutation. Mutations are like typing a letter or two in a word that makes up the DNA or RNA code strand.
Many mutations are neutral, having no effect on how efficiently the virus or cell reproduces. However, certain mutations have been shown to be beneficial for viruses or cells. For example, some changes can make a virus better at moving from one host to the next, helping it outperform other variants in a region or group.
This is what happened with SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 which was first identified in the UK and led to its spread to dozens of countries around the world. Scientists estimate this variant is about 50% more contagious than previous forms of the virus.
Then how fast the mutation process? It all depends on a number of aspects, for SARS-CoV-2, scientists estimate that one mutation occurs in the population every 11 days or so. But this process may not always happen at the same speed according to the study published in the journal Science. Thus launched National Geographic, Tuesday (14/12/2021).