What Is Deltracron?
Deltacron is thought to be a recombination of the Delta and Omicron variants. It’s normal for viruses to mutate and evolve as time goes on, explains Michael Chang, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at UTHealth Houston and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. “Not only are they able to evolve through normal mutations and natural selection, but they can also undergo something called recombination, where the genetic sequences of two different strains mix up with each other.” According to Dr. Chang, Deltacron was likely caused by simultaneous infection with both Delta and Omicron, resulting in a recombinant virus. “Since Omicron began circulating while Delta was still prominent, it’s not a surprise to see this variant,” Dr. Chang says. A small handful of cases of Deltacron have been reported in Europe and the U.S., but there are no indications yet that there is any kind of surge or outbreak of Deltacron. Jan K. Carney, MD, MP, Associate Dean for Public Health & Health Policy at Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. “There is no evidence that this recombinant virus is widespread or more severe,” says Dr. Carney. “Scientists and public health experts are currently viewing this as another sign that the COVID-19 virus continues to change, and we must continue—globally—to monitor these changes, to be best prepared for the future.”
How Does Deltacron Affect Kids?
Deltacron hasn’t spread widely enough for us to know much about how it might affect different populations. Ilan Shapiro, MD, chief health correspondent and medical affairs officer with AltaMed Health Services, says that there isn’t enough information to know if Deltacron might be worse than the currently circulating variant, omicron. So far, most COVID variants haven’t caused severe symptoms in children. The same, Dr. Shapiro says, should be true with Deltacron. “We have seen that kids’ mortality will be the same as other variants. It’s way smaller than adults,” he says. However, children can still experience long-term symptoms, so COVID-19 isn’t something to take lightly in kids. “There was a perception that COVID-19 was just a mild cold, but now we’ve seen a lot of kids coming in with prolonged COVID-19: headaches, migraines, and heart inflammation because of infection,” Dr. Shapiro points out. “We cannot dismiss all the other inflammatory syndromes that we are seeing and need to continue to vaccinate for.” To prevent these risks, Dr. Shapiro recommends vaccinating all eligible kids and using mitigation methods, like masking, in high-risk settings. He knows that many parents have questions and reservations about getting their kids vaccinated, but points out that millions of children have safely been vaccinated around the world, and complications are rare. “As a pediatrician and as a father, it’s extremely important that we create barriers for our kids,” he says. “One thing we can do if we have kids over 5 years old is to consider vaccinating.”
What to Know About Deltacron and Pregnancy
Information about Deltracon in pregnancy is also limited. “Right now, this recombinant virus is not circulating widely, and as such, there is not yet information about any unique concerns for pregnant individuals,” says Dr. Carney. She recommends that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you follow current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and stay up-to-date on your vaccines. Dr. Shapiro points out that any form of COVID-19 is something that expectant parents need to take seriously, as COVID-19 can be harmful for pregnant individuals and their babies. The CDC notes that people who are pregnant are more likely to get sick enough to require hospitalization, ICU care, or ventilation. COVID-19 also increases your risk of premature birth and stillbirth. “We know pregnant women are actually more sensitive to COVID-19 and can have more complications,” says Dr. Shapiro. “We need to protect them and create barriers and give them tools for their body to be protected.” Again, this doesn’t mean that you have to panic, but experts urge pregnant people to get vaccinated or boosted if they are eligible.
