The World Health Organization made an announcement on Thursday regarding the classification of a newly discovered COVID-19 strain, BA.2.86. This variant has caught the attention of experts due to its high number of mutations, leading to its rapid inclusion in the WHO’s “variant under monitoring” category. Despite its limited global presence, with only four reported cases so far, the designation of BA.2.86 as a potential threat was issued less than a day ago by virus trackers.
It is still too early to determine whether this variant will pose a greater danger compared to the currently circulating strains of the virus. The World Health Organization emphasizes the need for more data to fully comprehend the potential risks associated with BA.2.86, given its significant number of mutations.
Virologists have raised concerns about BA.2.86 due to its numerous genetic changes, comparable to the emergence of the original Omicron variant in 2021. These mutations affect critical parts of the virus, potentially enabling it to evade the body’s immune response from prior infections or vaccination. Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, has stated that deep mutational scanning indicates BA.2.86 may be more adept at evading antibodies elicited by previous COVID-19 variants.
The XBB.1.5 variant, an ancestor of many recent strains, had been previously targeted by vaccines for fall booster shots. However, with 36 mutations relative to XBB.1.5, BA.2.86 poses a challenge to the effectiveness of these vaccines.
Reports of BA.2.86 appearing in different countries across three continents, including Denmark, Israel, and the U.S., suggest its potential for widespread transmission, possibly having circulated undetected for some time.
In the U.S., the first case of BA.2.86 was reported by the University of Michigan, but its origin remains unclear. The university’s clinical microbiology lab sequenced the sample during routine surveillance, without disclosure of whether it came from a hospitalized patient within the university’s health system or another source.
The strain is currently being cultured in Denmark, a crucial step in assessing its threat. The two cases identified in Denmark had no epidemiological link and were not immunocompromised.
Despite the concerns surrounding BA.2.86, experts stress that it must outcompete other fast-spreading XBB Omicron descendants to become more than a scientific curiosity. EG.5, a variant related to BA.2.86, has already become prevalent, accounting for almost 1 in 5 cases nationwide according to CDC estimates.
The emergence of BA.2.86 coincides with the upcoming rollout of new COVID-19 vaccines targeted at XBB strains, including EG.5. Moderna has reported promising preliminary trial data showing a significant boost in neutralizing antibodies against EG.5. However, if BA.2.86 continues to spread, it may hinder the effectiveness of these targeted vaccines.
It is important to note that BA.2.86 remains rare at this stage, and the body’s broader immune mechanisms may still offer some protection against severe disease caused by highly mutated variants.
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