Researchers have tracked the 40 mutations of coronaviruses – alone on the Island
The icelandic genetikfirma DeCode Genetics has tracked 40 mutations of coronaviruses on the Island. A sandsyligt scenario is that the virus is evolving to become more contagious, but less dangerous for those who will be affected, assess the Danish virolog
The icelandic health authorities have found 40 mutations of the corona virus among infected people in the country. A single person has been shown to be infected with two variants of the new coronavirus.
Health authorities have, in cooperation with the private genetikfirma DeCode Genetics tested 9.768 persons for coronaviruses. But you have not only been tested for the infection of coronavirus. There has also been a full gensekventering of the infections that are found.
"We can see how the virus mutates," says Kári Stefánsson, ceo of DeCode Genetics to the Information.
"We have found 40 islandspecifikke mutations in the virus. We have found a person who had a combination of the virus. He had the virus from before and after the mutation, and the only infections that can be traced back to this person, the mutated virus."
In addition to helping the icelandic health authorities to carry out tests have DeCode Genetics made gensekventeringerne of the observed cases of coronavirus – in both the cases, identified by the authorities and the cases that are found by the company itself.
On the way one has detailed been able to track its spread in the small icelandic society, which has a little over 364.000 inhabitants.
The many mutations at the Island is not surprising professor and virolog Allan Randrup Thomsen from the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Copenhagen University.
"Coronavirus is known as a virus that can mutate reasonable vehemently. We have seen reports of variants from China already. On the way, it fits well with what one would expect," he says.
DeCodes gensekventering have identified three smittegrupperinger, says Kári Stefánsson of DeCode Genetics:
"We have genes from more than 400 infections. What is interesting about the sequencing is that we can trace where the virus came from. Some came from Austria. There is another type of people who were infected in Italy. And there is a third type of virus detected in people who were infected in England. Seven persons had been to a football match in England."
In total, there are found 473 infected persons on the Island since the 28. February, where the first cases were detected. One person is dead and 12 hospitalized.
The icelandic health authorities have tested all of the persons who either showed symptoms, were sick or were at risk for coronaviruses.
In addition, DeCode Genetics tested 5.571 persons, which did not show symptoms of the disease, and who were not at risk, but who volunteered to be tested. Genetikfirmaet have found 48 cases of the coronavirus, where the tested person did not show symptoms of any kind.
The company expects to publish the results of their studies of coronaviruses and share data on the gensekventeringerne.
"We have shared all of the results are ongoing with the icelandic health authorities, and will put all sekventeringerne in an international database as soon as possible," says Kári Stefánsson.
Professor Allan Randrup Thomsen has not yet even had access to see the icelandic data, but estimates that the results as described in the "makes good sense".
"It is interesting with the 40 specific variants which fall into three clusters, which can be traced back to specific sources of infection. As virolog it's very exciting, that one can begin to see which modes of transmission there is. It is also something, which we subsequently in the epidemic will come to see much more of – the kind of study – because we want to see how the virus is evolving," says Allan Randrup Thomsen.
Virologist explains that it is completely by the book, that the corona virus mutates. He expects that the virus in the long run will evolve to be more infectious but less pathogenic.
"It looks like the pattern that we see with influenza, and we can very well live with. I'm not saying that this is how all the flavors are, but there is a tendency for it to evolve like that. It means that the virus can infection more, because it is better adapted, but it is not the disease-their variants that survive. It is the flavors, which provides less disease."
Professor Allan Randrup Thomsen expects that there will be several similar studies, as the pandemic develops. He knows about the company behind the study and notes that the study is done in cooperation with the icelandic health authorities:
"Icelanders have lived for many years high on, that they have a small well-characterised population. It has the used to make genetic analyses of many different diseases, so I am sure that it is quality work."
Chefepidemiolog in Iceland Thorolfur Gudnason expect that the research results can prove extraordinarily beneficial all over the world.
"We expect all the work to test large parts of the population will provide knowledge that can contribute to the world's efforts against this pandemic," he said Friday at a news conference in Reykjavik.
Also María Mjöll Jónsdóttir from the icelandic ministry of foreign affairs explains that it is meant that the icelandic results will be used internationally:
"Data collected at the screening, has already proved invaluable in the management and decisions in relation to the epidemic. We believe that these data can be useful for other countries which have problems to estimate the level of spread in the society," writes María Mjöll Jónsdóttir for Information.
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