Lambda variant of Covid-19 shows increased resistance to vaccines

The Lambda variant of the coronavirus, first identified in Peru and now spreading across South America, is highly infectious and more resistant to vaccines than the original version of the virus that emerged in Wuhan, China., as discovered by Japanese researchers.

In an article published Wednesday in bioRxiv ahead of its peer review, scientists warn that since the World Health Organization called Lambda a “variant of interest” rather than a “worry variant,” you don’t realize maybe not that this is a serious problem. and permanent threat.

In lab experiments, they found that three mutations in Lambda spike protein, called RSYLTPGD246-253N, 260 L452Q, and F490S, helped it resist neutralization by vaccine-induced antibodies.

They found that two other mutations, T76I and L452Q, contribute to Lambda being highly infectious.

Although it is not yet clear whether this variant is more dangerous than the delta which now threatens populations in many countries, principal researcher Kei Sato of the University of Tokyo believes that “Lambda may be a potential threat to human society”.