Thread by @ejustin46

"Understanding Viral Evolution: The Shift and Drift Dynamics of Influenza and SARS-CoV-2"
(2nd part)

Antigenic drift and shift are key concepts in virology, particularly for influenza and SARS-CoV-2.

2) Drift refers to small genetic mutations over time, while shift involves major changes, often through reassortment.
For instance, seasonal flu viruses undergo drift, leading to new strains each year. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 exhibits drift but ...

3) ...infrequently undergoes shift, making it relatively stable compared to influenza.
Recent research highlights that shift for coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-2, can occur through recombination with other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV.

4) For example, a recent study in Nature identified a mink coronavirus that shares similarities with MERS-CoV, using the ACE2 receptor to infect various species, including humans. This finding suggests that coronaviruses can interact and exchange genetic material ...

5) ...potentially leading to new variants that may pose risks to human health. Enhanced surveillance of these interactions is crucial to mitigate the threat of future outbreaks.

Thanks for reading 🙏
nature.com/articles/s4158…