How the new Covid variant NB.1.8.1 affects immunity: What you need to know

India Today

4 days ago

With the recent surge of Covid-19 in parts of India and across the globe, health experts are closely monitoring a new variant of the virus: NB.1.8.1. This subvariant of Omicron has shown early signs of being more immune-evasive than its predecessors, meaning it may be better at escaping the body's defences, even in people who are vaccinated or previously infected.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), NB.1.8.1 has been classified as a 'variant under monitoring', a category for strains that carry genetic changes that may affect virus behaviour, but which have not yet shown a significant public health impact.advertisementHowever, early studies and expert analysis suggest that NB.1.8.1 could pose a new challenge in managing Covid-19's spread due to its ability to partially evade immune protection.
WHAT IS NB.1.8.1?NB.1.8.1 is part of the Omicron lineage, closely related to other recent subvariants such as LP.8.1 and JN.1.The variant has already been widely reported in China, Thailand, and other East Asian countries, and has also been detected in travelers from France, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, and Taiwan, according to data from the GISAID global database. It is also circulating in several parts of India.ARE SCIENTISTS CONCERNED?One reason NB.1.8.1 is raising alarms is its increased transmissibility and immune evasion capacity."Right now, the reasons for its increased transmissivity are unclear, although the fraction of new cases accounted for by this variant have rapidly increased over the past few weeks,' Gautam Menon, dean of research and professor of physics and biology at Ashoka University, told IndiaToday.in.
NB.1.8.1 has been classified as a
advertisement'NB.1.8.1 is believed to be about 1.5 times more contagious than the previous LP.8.1 variant. It is currently unknown whether immune protection from the JN.1 vaccine may transfer to NB.1.8.1," Menon added.The WHO has also noted that NB.1.8.1 appears to be more immune-evasive than LP.8.1, a descendant of JN.1, raising concerns about whether current vaccines can still offer sufficient protection.HOW DOES IT EVADE IMMUNITY?Virologist Lara Herrero of Griffith University discussed preliminary findings from a lab-based study (not yet peer-reviewed), which could help explain why NB.1.8.1 is spreading so rapidly."Researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested, suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains," she wrote in The Conversation.The same study also examined how antibodies from either vaccination or past infection responded to the variant. Results showed that NB.1.8.1 was 1.5 times less susceptible to neutralisation compared to LP.8.1.1, meaning the body's immune response was weaker against it.
The WHO has also noted that NB.1.8.1 appears to be more immune-evasive than LP.8.1, a descendant of JN.1, raising concerns about whether current vaccines can still offer sufficient protection. ()
This mix of stronger cell attachment and weaker immune response means the variant can spread more easily, even among people who already have some immunity.While there is currently no indication that NB.1.8.1 causes more severe disease, since most cases are presenting mild symptoms, its ability to spread more efficiently and bypass some immune defences highlights the need for continued surveillance, updated vaccines, and public awareness.There is a need to continue to monitor its growth across regions, and vaccine developers may need to adapt formulations if NB.1.8.1 becomes widespread globally.Tune InMust Watch