Why are there many variants of viruses for example covid it has the delta variant and omicron variant how do viruses mutate and make new variants
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Viruses have forms of DNA, just like we do. During the process in which DNA is replicated, there are mistakes that can be made in the genetic code. Viruses also do not have a protein that we have that double-checks the DNA to make sure there aren’t mistakes. This means that as Viruses spread and replicate, they end up mutating rather quickly and frequently in comparison to mutations in human cells that don’t replicate as often and have a code-checking system in place.
This is how variants are formed, and is also the reason why we need a flu shot every year. The flu is evolving every year due to new mutations occuring randomly. Thus, we need a new medication to treat it every year.
As viruses replicate they have random copying errors. Sometimes those errors lead to the surface of the viruses looking different. The surface that allows for more spread of infection starts to win over the less infective surface structure, and quickly becomes the predominant variant.
All living organisms evolve over time, even though viruses are stretching the definition of living. As the genes gets copied there are faults introduced and if these mutations are benefitial the new variant will become prominant. But if the mutation is disadvantagious the variant dies out even before it is detected.
Part of the reason why viruses are so effective is that they tend to mutate a lot faster then other organisms. This makes it harder for the immune system to detect because the virus would have mutated for the next time you get an infection. So the antibodies you generated to battle the last infection does not work as well on the new infection. Especially for pandemic viruses like covid they tend to create lots of variaunts and mutate quite a lot in the first few years. This is because the first variant were optimized for another species of animal and when it jumps to humans there are a lot of possible mutations that can create a better variant.
Luckally part of this adaptation process to a new species tends make the virus less harmfull. A very active virus infection will often trigger a much faster and more rapid immune system response then a slower virus infection. So new variants that are less active tends to spread faster and outcompete active virus variants. A lot of older pandemics like the 1918 pandemic is still spreading among the population but as a less deadly variant as part of the seasonal flu.
A virus is copied, rapidly and in the trillions.
A small percentage aren’t copied properly as a chemical runs out, something is out of position, temperature is wrong, etc.
So it ends up with a small deformation.
Usually this deformation means the viral particle doesn’t work. But sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it simply alters the side effects, or the rate it can be replicated, or how long it lasts…
And this small change can make the immune system ‘recognition’ processes not notice it. Sort of like putting glasses on superman to make clark kent.
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