A 72-year-old man from the Netherlands suffered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection for 613 days, the longest reported infection with the virus that has blocked the planet.
Sars-Cov-2 virus. PHOTO scimex.org
His case, presented by researchers at the ESCMID 2024 Global Congress in Barcelona, highlights the risks of prolonged infections in immunodeficient patients and the potential for the emergence of new viral variants.
Prolonged infection and viral evolution
The man, who suffered from an immune condition, contracted the virus in March 2020. Although the initial infection was successfully treated, the virus persisted in his body for nearly two years. During this period, the patient required frequent hospitalizations and prolonged periods of isolation to prevent the spread of the virus.
The full genome sequencing of the virus revealed 50 mutations, indicating a significant evolution of the virus in the patient's body. This evolution led to the emergence of a new variant, distinct from the known circulating variants such as Alpha, Delta or Omicron.
“This case highlights the risk of persistent infections with SARS-CoV-2 in immunocompromised individuals, as unique SARS-CoV-2 viral variants may arise due to extensive intra-host evolution,” the researchers said in a press statement.
Specialists show, as well, that the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to circulate and undergo new mutations, and the risk of prolonged infections in immunodeficient patients persists.
AstraZeneca announces it is withdrawing its COVID-19 vaccine worldwide
AstraZeneca announced on Tuesday that it is initiating a global recall of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a “surplus of updated vaccines available” during the pandemic, reports Reuters.
At the same time, the company mentioned that it will withdraw the marketing authorizations for the Vaxzevria vaccine in Europe.
“Because several variants of the COVID-19 vaccine have since been developed, there is a surplus of updated vaccines available,” the company said, adding that this has led to a drop in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer manufactured or supplied.
According to media reports, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker has admitted in court documents that the vaccine causes side effects, including blood clots and low platelet counts.
According to the Telegraph, the company's request to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and took effect on May 7, which was the first publication to report this development.
After a slowdown in growth and falling sales of its COVID-19 drug, London-listed AstraZeneca has turned to respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and obesity drugs.
