AI Article Synopsis
- B-cell-depleting therapies can result in longer-lasting SARS-CoV-2 infections and increased viral shedding, which may lead to new variants of the virus.
- A study tracked a patient with a 335-day COVID-19 infection and revealed significant viral mutations, including a unique deletion in the spike protein and complete removal of specific viral genes (ORF7b and ORF8).
- These findings underscore the need to monitor viral evolution, particularly in patients with weakened immune systems, to understand the implications of prolonged infections on public health.
Article Abstract
B-cell-depleting therapies may lead to prolonged disease and viral shedding in individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and this viral persistence raises concern for viral evolution. We report sequencing of early and late samples from a 335-day infection in an immunocompromised patient. The virus accumulated a unique deletion in the amino-terminal domain of the spike protein, and complete deletion of ORF7b and ORF8, the first report of its kind in an immunocompromised patient. Unique viral mutations found in this study highlight the importance of analyzing viral evolution in protracted SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in immunosuppressed hosts.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8755281 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab622 | DOI Listing |
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