INSTITUTS HOSPITALO-UNIVERSITAIRES

Amid the spread of the Omicron Variant of coronavirus, the discovery of a new strain named ‘IHU (Instituts Hospitalo-Universitaires)’ that emerged in France raises fears across the world.

Important points:

  • Its discovery was announced by researchers from Méditerranée Infection in Marseille, part of France’s Instituts hospitalo-universitaires (IHU, or University Hospital Institutes) – hence the name.
  • The first known case of the IHU variant was detected in mid-November 2021 in a man from France who had returned from Cameroon in Africa (the continent where Omicron was also discovered).
  • The variant is a sub-lineage of the B.1.640. It has been classified as B.1.640.2.
  • The variant has 46 mutations and 37 deletions in its genetic code, more than Omicron. Many of these affect the spike protein.
  • Till now, only a dozen cases have been reported in France. No other country has detected any new cases of the new variant. It is certainly not as alarming as the spread of Omicron.
  • While the large number of significant mutations in this variant has attracted the interest of researchers, and raised concerns among the public, the B.1.640 is not spreading at a rate that is unnerving.
  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet deemed this IHU variant a variant of interest, a variant of concern, or even a variant under investigation.
  • A variant with specific genetic markers that have been associated with changes to receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy of treatments, potential diagnostic impact, or predicted increase in transmissibility or disease severity.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT

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