The Brazilian Variant: Reinfections and Immune System Response-Minireview

Focus in the media has currently shifted to the potential for import of other new variants that may also be more infectious and/or demonstrate immune or vaccine escape based on mutations in the S protein. Cases of such a variant from South Africa (B.1.351/ 501Y.V2) have already been reported in the UK, but two new variants from Brazil are currently receiving more attention. The variant B.1.1.28 clade has been a significant circulating lineage within Brazil and likely originated in February 2020. The first variant referred to contains the S protein mutation E484K and was first detected in sequences from patients in Rio de Janeiro state collected in October 2020 but based on phylogenetic analysis the variant likely originated in July 2020. This 484?K.V2 variant has since spread to multiple other countries including: England, Singapore, the USA, Norway, Argentina, Denmark, Ireland and Canada. The E484K mutation in particular is of interest due to evidence that it may allow immune escape. We report a review and the clinical evidences in the world.