Enough time to develop mutations
In these patients, the scientists observed the appearance of several mutations of the virus during the infection. A mutation is not quite a variant, but it allows the virus to test changes in itself on a patient. Objective, to be more effective for the pathogen. The mutations observed were then found in the variants that subsequently appeared during the pandemic. This allows Dr. Luke Blagdon Snell, the main author of this work, to put forward the following theory: “these variants may have managed to evolve in immunocompromised individuals, because the virus was able to persist long enough to achieve this”.
“It is therefore essential to develop new therapeutic strategies for these patients in order to eliminate the infection as quickly as possible”, emphasizes Dr Gaia Nebbia, co-author. “This could prevent the appearance of new variants. »