Table of Contents
What is a mutation?
Mutation: A mutation refers to a single change in a virus’s genome (genetic code). Mutations happen very frequently, but only sometimes change the characteristics of the virus.
Can mutations cause false negative COVID-19 test results?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday issued an alert to clinical laboratory staff and clinicians. The agency warned that false negative results can occur with any molecular test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 if a mutation occurs in the part of the virus’s genome assessed by that test.
Does COVID-19 mutate when minks are infected?
SARS-CoV-2 can change while infecting minks. It has been observed that these mink variants are able to transmit back into humans through close contact with the mink. Preliminary results suggest that the mink variants infecting humans appear to have the same properties as other variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
How common are RNA virus mutations?
RNA virus mutations are frequent and can have important consequences for their hosts. Influenza viruses are simple entities belonging to one of three types: A, B, or C. They consist of no more than seven or eight RNA segments enclosed within an envelope of proteins.
What happens when a virus mutates in a human?
If the virus mutates in the human host so that it is easily spread among people, a pandemic may result. In all cases, antigenic shift produces a virus with a new HA or NA subtype to which humans have no, or very few, preexisting antibodies.
What are some special cases of viral evolution?
Below we look at two special cases in viral evolution: how evolution occurs in influenza viruses and in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus that causes AIDS). Both of these viruses are RNA viruses, meaning that their genetic material is encoded in RNA, not DNA.
Can antibodies produced by previous infections fight a mutated virus?
In such a case, antibodies produced by previous infection with the ancestor strain cannot effectively fight the mutated virus, and disease results. (Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase lend their first initials to flu subtypes. For example, the 2009 influenza pandemic was caused by an influenza A H1N1 virus.)