The news that scientists in Cyprus
had identified a new hybrid variant of SARS-CoV-2 generated much discussion on
social media. It's called Deltacron, and it appears to be a mixture of Delta
and Omicron variants. On the other hand, other experts have questioned if this
is genuinely a new variant, suggesting that the finding could be due to
laboratory contamination. We examine both sides of the debate.
On January 7, scientists in Cyprus reported the discovery of a new
SARS-CoV-2 variant. The Deltacron variant is thought to be a mix between Delta
and Omicron.
Dr Leondios Kostrikis, a professor of Biological Sciences at the
University of Cyprus, leads a team.
The variant features a Delta-like genome with Omicron
characteristics, according to Dr Kostrikis. According to the team, Deltaron had
been found in 25 people, some in hospitals and others in the community.
Claims of lab contamination
The finding of Deltacron attracted widespread media attention and
social media debate. However, scientists have questioned the claims.
According to Dr Jeffrey Barrett, Director of the COVID-19 Genomics
Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK, the findings are the
result of a lab error.
He claims that "this is almost certainly not a biological
recombinant of the Delta and Omicron lineages." "The apparent Omicron
mutations are found in a section of the spike gene sequence (amino acids 51 to
143) that has been affected by a technological artifact in certain sequencing
procedures."
Dr Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London in the
United Kingdom, posted that "the Cypriot 'Deltacron' sequences reported by
several large media outlets look to be quite obviously contamination,"
rejecting the findings.
However, in a separate tweet, he clarified that this was not due
to poor lab procedure, saying that it "happens to every sequencing lab
occasionally."
Their conclusions appear to be supported by evolutionary evidence.
According to several experts, if Deltacron were indeed a new recombinant
variant, samples would cluster on the same branch of the SARS-CoV-2
phylogenetic tree.
Deltacron, on the other hand, appears at random on several
branches, suggesting contamination, according to experts.
Findings defended
Dr Kostrikis, on the other hand, defended his findings. He claimed
that the contamination hypothesis was less likely because Deltacron infection
rates were higher in hospitalized patients than in non-hospitalized patients.
Moreover, he said that the Deltacron samples were processed in
multiple sequencing procedures in various countries, reducing the risk of lab
errors.
Since then, the Cyprus team has reported another 52 Deltacron
cases to the Cyprus Mail. The findings were also defended by Cyprus' health
minister, who stated that the groundbreaking research made him "proud of
our scientists."
Call for more evidence.
While many experts believe Deltacron is a new hybrid variant,
others are ready to wait for more evidence.
Dr William Schaffner, an infectious diseases professor at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tn, said that
"further local epidemiological inquiry in Cyprus is necessary to sort this
out." "The entire world is watching."
"The COVID scientific community has shown much interest in
Deltacron. "Whether it is a new variant that has emerged as a result of a
combination of Delta and Omicron viruses from a simultaneous infection in a
human or whether it came as a result of a laboratory accident is still unclear."
— William Schaffner, Ph.D.
It's unclear whether or not that proof will come from Cyprus or
elsewhere. We contacted Dr Kostrikis but were still awaiting a response when
this article was published.
Meanwhile, Cypriot health officials have said that the new type is not dangerous. So, even if Deltacron exists, the limited evidence we have so far shows we might not be too worried.