We shouldn't worry when a virus mutates during disease outbreaks

Nathan D Grubaugh; Mary E Petrone; Edward C Holmes

doi:10.1038/s41564-020-0690-4

We shouldn't worry when a virus mutates during disease outbreaks

Nat Microbiol. 2020 Apr;5(4):529-530. doi: 10.1038/s41564-020-0690-4.

Authors

Nathan D Grubaugh^{1

2}, Mary E Petrone³, Edward C Holmes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. nathan.grubaugh@yale.edu.
² Yale Institute for Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. nathan.grubaugh@yale.edu.
³ Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
⁴ Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. edward.holmes@sydney.edu.au.

Abstract

Mutation. The word naturally conjures fears of unexpected and freakish changes. Ill-informed discussions of mutations thrive during virus outbreaks, including the ongoing spread of SARS-CoV-2. In reality, mutations are a natural part of the virus life cycle and rarely impact outbreaks dramatically.

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Physiological / genetics
Animals
Betacoronavirus / genetics*
Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
Coronavirus Infections / transmission
Coronavirus Infections / virology
Evolution, Molecular
Gene Expression
Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics*
Humans
Mutation*
Pandemics*
Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
Pneumonia, Viral / virology
SARS-CoV-2
Selection, Genetic
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics*
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
Virulence

Substances

Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding