Pirola; Is it a new challenge for global health?
A new type of coronavirus is causing an increasing number of respiratory illnesses, but much remains unknown about it. This new strain of the coronavirus, BA.2.86, has raised concerns among public health experts, but it is too early to tell whether this variant is more transmissible than earlier strains of the virus.
But there may be reason to worry! This variant, informally called “Pirola,” a combination of the Greek letters Pi and Rho, has more than 30 mutations in its spike protein compared to XBB.1.5, a variant of Omicron that was the dominant strain in the United States. The spike protein is the key to the entry of the corona virus into human cells. BA.2.86 is a new variant of Omicron, which is itself a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. BA.2.86 has additional mutations compared to previously identified Omicron substrains.
BA.2.86 was first spotted in Denmark in late July and appeared in the US in August. The fact that the known cases so far do not appear to be related suggests that this strain is circulating more than previously thought, especially since surveillance of Covid-19 has decreased.
According to announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), available tests to detect and drugs used to treat COVID-19, such as Paxlovid, Veklury, and Lagevrio, appear to be effective against BA.2.86, but the definitive effect is unknown at this time. It is not, and it seems that there is currently no evidence that this strain causes more severe disease.
Common symptoms of other types of coronavirus include:
- Cough
- Sore throat
- runny nose
- Sneeze
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle pains
- Change in sense of smell
The CDC’s preliminary report says that there is currently no evidence that BA.2.86 causes more severe illness, death or hospitalization, and that it is not yet clear how transmissible it is, and it is very possible that it may not spread well and take up to several weeks. Let’s see the departure of this period. But it’s important to remember that it’s still the same coronavirus inside, so the same prevention methods — wearing masks, getting vaccinated, and washing hands, among other things — can help people avoid infection and, if you have symptoms, take a molecular test for Covid-19 and see a specialist doctor.