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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
November 29, 2022
While it seems set to dethrone the BA.5 variant, “BQ 1.1” intrigues many experts. What are its symptoms? Is it more dangerous than the other variants? Answers.
It continues to gain ground in France. He is the Covid Omicron BQ 1.1 variant, a cousin of the BA5 which could soon become the majority. According to Public Health France, it also represents 39% of current positive tests.
Variant Covid BQ 1.1: definition and symptoms
The BQ 1.1 variant, a sub-lineage of BQ.1, itself a sub-lineage of BA.5, seems to have emerged in Nigeria in July 2022. Then, it spread throughout Europe, until reaching the French soil, in September.
Santé Publique France detailed it as follows in October 2022:
“BQ.1 is characterized by the K444T and N460K mutation, and BQ.1.1 additionally carries the R346K mutation. These mutations are located on important sites of the Spike protein, involved both in the interaction with its receptor and in the recognition by antibodies.“.
It is these mutations that allow BQ 1.1 to counter the action of antibodies. Result: compared to the circulating variants, it has a stronger immune escape.
But BQ 1.1 is also talked about because of its symptoms. If it causes rather “classic” inconvenience (fever, cough, body aches, etc.), it also causes diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach aches. Potentially more dangerous signs in people at risk (elderly people, pregnant women, etc.).
In The ExpressJérôme Marty, president of the union of the French Union for Free Medicine (Ufml) general practitioner in Haute-Garonne had thus declared to have had “in one afternoon, three patients who complained of stomach aches before realizing they were Covid-positive“.
Is the BQ 1.1 variant more dangerous than the others?
While BQ 1.1 appears to be more resistant to antibodies (produced by the vaccine or by previous infection) and monoclonal antibody treatments (made specifically to treat the disease), it does not, however, appear to cause more severe disease.
“This is yet another variant, which stems from the natural evolution of the coronavirus. But it is not more virulent or more “risky” than the others. Admittedly, we are not immune to a more dangerous variant occurring, but this must be subject to standard virological monitoring. For the rest, the more the population is immunized, the more new variants will appear, so you have to get used to it and stop panicking about it.“, recalls Dr. Kierzek.
A finding shared by Public Health France.
“There is currently no indication that BQ 1.1 is associated with a different clinical presentation or severity than other Omicron sublines.“explains the organization in a notice dated November 10.