新型冠状病毒奥密克戎变异株的研究进展:对其科学防控措施的启示

Current studies in 2019-nCoV Omicron variant:implications for scientific prevention and control strategies

新型冠状病毒肺炎的大流行仍然是全球公共卫生系统的巨大威胁。截至2022年1月11日16点52分,过去24h内全球新增1 738 701例感染病例和5150例死亡病例。最近,新型冠状病毒在全球范围内出现了多种变异株,特别是B.1.1.529变异株奥密克戎(Omicron),该变异株在其刺突蛋白中含有大量的突变,这些突变的位置是先前感染或疫苗引发的多种免疫反应的靶点,正是这些突变导致了奥密克戎变异株对人体产生中和作用进而发生免疫逃逸。令人乐观的是,由奥密克戎变异株感染产生的疾病症状比之前的变异株更轻,轻症患者的比例升高和住院率降低。然而,由于奥密克戎变异株的超高传播率,在一些国家和地区,奥密克戎变异株感染病例数在数周内就已超过了德尔塔(Delta)和其他病毒变异株,全球卫生系统仍然面临着巨大的压力。本文概述了奥密克戎变异株的免疫逃逸、低致病性和高传染性特征的分子机制,并在此基础上针对奥密克戎变异株的防控提供了科学的建议。

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still a great threat to global public health,with a daily increase of 1 738 701 cases and 5150 deaths in 11 January,2022.Recently,multiple variants of 2019-nCoV have emerged around the world,especially the newly 2019-nCoV variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron),a variant of concern (VOC),which are harboring up large number of mutations in its spike protein,the target of multi-faceted immune response generated by both prior infection or vaccination,leading to the immune evasion of neutralization.Optimistically,Omicron infection produces milder disease than previous strains,such as increased proportion of asymptomatic or mild cases and fewer hospital admissions.However,global health systems could still come under huge pressure considering the super spread rate of Omicron variant,which has outcompeted Delta and other variants within weeks in some countries and regions.Therefore,here we reviewed the molecular mechanism underlying the immune evasion,milder pathogenicity and enhanced transmissibility of Omicron,and further provided scientific suggestions to prevent and control the Omicron variant.