Does a Rose Thorn by Any Other Name Prick as Sharply?
A very highly magnified image of the coronavirus using electron microscopy. Note the corona of projections or spikes protruding from the virus surface. They allow the virus to penetrate cells. The spikes are the target of neutralizing antibodies generated by vaccination and for other types of immune or T-cell attacks
First published Dec. 15, 2021
The RNA virus SARS-CoV-2 causes covid-19. It was so designated by the World Health Organization on February 11, 2020 to indicate it causes a “severe acute respiratory syndrome” (SARS), is a “coronavirus” (CoV) and that this is the “second” (-2) severe acute respiratory syndrome identified internationally. The first one appeared in 2002 and, although very severe, it petered out inexplicably. It was confined largely to Asia, originating in China and spreading, principally, to three other neighboring countries with a few travelers causing a handful of cases in other countries. In between SARS and SARS-2, Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) arose circa 2012 when the virus was transferred from bats to camels and from camels to humans. It is focused in the Arabian Peninsula and has a very high case fatality rate. It is endemic, but can be transmitted by travelers to cause sporadic cases in distant places.
The significance of the genome of coronaviruses of which there are seven being RNA, not DNA, is several-fold. Among the most important implications is that RNA viruses, on average, have a propensity to mutate and in so doing may become more transmissible and or more virulent and might evade either vaccines or treatment modalities. One hopes that they become less virulent by mutation but, thus far, that path has not been evident or dominant. The four coronaviruses that are among the many viruses that can cause the common cold are prototypes of those that cause mild respiratory infections. Influenza, caused by an RNA virus, is a prime example of the effects of ease of mutation. A new vaccine is required every year and it is less effective because the influenza virus mutates during its seasonal peaks making vaccine efficacy unpredictable season to season and within seasons.
In the case of the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutants (strains) of immediate concern, an international system has developed to rapidly share the appearance of variants of interest (VOI) or of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2, depending on the possible significance of the mutations on transmission and virulence. Thus far no variant of high consequence (VOHC) has yet been detected. Such a mutant might evade the vaccine’s protective benefit.
The public has been faced with a string of designations for the mutated versions of this coronavirus, referred to as variants. There are many, many variants of no interest to the public because they do not affect the behavior of the virus. The official, technical designation for potentially significant variants is complex, difficult to remember accurately and, thus, discussions of their development and spread has required more facile nicknames. Designating the variant by the country in which it first appeared (e.g. the South African or Brazil variant), scientifically designated, B.1.351 and B.1.617.2, respectively, and other such variants, e.g. identified first in the United Kingdom and India, for example, was considered unartful. Using country names would not allow the unique identity of variants of different strains in the same country. Importantly, such nomenclature could invoke xenophobic attitudes. The complex scientific designation, referred to as Pangolin (or Pango for short) is important and meaningful for the experts who must track the evolution of lineages (so-called genomic epidemiology); but, the nicknames using Greek letters are useful for ease of communication and understanding.
In June 2021, the World Health Organization adopted the use the Greek alphabet for this purpose, after considering other alternatives, such as types of fruit or the names of Greek gods. This choice was useful as the Greek alphabet is widely known and is in a sense “language-independent”. Even this approach is not straightforward as certain Greek letters are skipped over, if they could be in any way pointed. One example is Xi, the fourteenth letter in the Greek alphabet, which was not used in deference to the Prime Minister of China, Xi Jinping. Xi’s variant could result in an international ruckus! That omission brought us to Omicron, the fifteenth letter in the Greek alphabet. Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet (not Zeta, the sixth letter). Hence the idiom, “The Alpha and Omega”, “the beginning and the end”, cited to describe Jesus in the Book of Revelations. The word “alphabet” comes from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, alpha and beta. Alas, as we focus on Omicron, will Pi, Rho or Sigma be next? Our amazing international scientific establishment will be on guard and, I anticipate, respond promptly to our benefit.
In addition, the World Health Organization has to consider what they will do if and when they reach the last letter of the Greek alphabet. The choice of names for hurricanes use the English alphabet first letter. In this way the same system can be used each year but with unique names each year in the order of the English alphabet and with enough letters to satisfy even the worst year for frequency of hurricanes (thus far). We have had only one year since records have been kept in which more than 26 Atlantic hurricanes have occurred. The last several years have been under 20 per year. Many Atlantic hurricanes do not reach landfall in the U.S. so they are only a shadow on a weatherpersons screen.
December 2021