Department of Pathology, HIMSR, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
Department of Pathology, VMMC and Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Pathol Res Pract. 2024 Oct;262:155542. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155542. Epub 2024 Aug 13.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to multiple waves of infections globally. As the virus continues to evolve, new variants have emerged, some with concerning changes in transmissibility and virulence. Among these variants, the "FLiRT Variants" have recently gained attention due to their potential to alter the dynamics of transmission and disease severity. According to the Infectious Disease Society of America, the nickname 'FLiRT' is based on the technical names for their mutations. The FLiRT variants, particularly KP.2, seem to exhibit heightened transmissibility in comparison to earlier Omicron sub-variants. Additionally, they demonstrate a capacity to evade immunity conferred by prior infection and vaccines, although the full extent of this evasion is still being investigated. In this article, we review the characteristics of the FLiRT variants, including their genetic mutations, epidemiological features, potential impact on public health measures, and implications for vaccine efficacy. We also discuss strategies for surveillance, prevention, and mitigation efforts to control the spread of this variant and mitigate its impact on global health.
由严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）引起的持续的 COVID-19 大流行在全球范围内导致了多波感染。随着病毒的不断进化，新的变体不断出现，其中一些在传染性和毒力方面发生了令人担忧的变化。在这些变体中，“FLiRT 变体”最近由于其改变传播动力学和疾病严重程度的潜力而引起关注。根据美国传染病学会的说法，“FLiRT”这个昵称是基于它们突变的技术名称。FLiRT 变体，特别是 KP.2，与早期的奥密克戎亚变体相比，似乎表现出更高的传染性。此外，它们还表现出逃避先前感染和疫苗所赋予的免疫力的能力，尽管这种逃避的全部程度仍在研究中。在本文中，我们回顾了 FLiRT 变体的特征，包括它们的基因突变、流行病学特征、对公共卫生措施的潜在影响以及对疫苗效力的影响。我们还讨论了监测、预防和缓解策略，以控制该变体的传播并减轻其对全球健康的影响。
