Next Covid-19 strain may be more dangerous, South Africa lab study shows
DURBAN A South African laboratory study using Covid-19 samples from an immunosuppressed individual over six months showed that the virus evolved to become more pathogenic, indicating that a new variant could cause more illness than the current predominant Omicron strain.
The study, conducted by the same laboratory that was to first test the Omicron strain against vaccines last year, used samples from a person infected with HIV.
Over the six months, the virus initially caused the same level of cell fusion and death as the Omicron BA.1 strain. But as it evolved, those levels rose to become similar to the first version of Covid-19 identified in Wuhan in China.
The study, led by Dr Alex Sigal at the Africa Health Research Institute in the South African city of Durban, indicates that the Covid-19 pathogen could continue to mutate and a new variant may cause more severe illness and death than the relatively mild Omicron strain. The study is yet to be peer-reviewed and is based solely on laboratory work on samples from one individual.
Dr Sigal and other scientists have previously postulated that variants such as Beta and Omicron both initially identified in southern Africa may have evolved in immunosuppressed people such as those infected with HIV. The long time it takes for these individuals to shake off the disease allows it to mutate and become better at evading antibodies, they have said.
The study may indicate that Sars-CoV-2 evolution in long-term infection does not have to result in attenuation, the researchers said in their findings, which were released on Nov 24. It may indicate that a future variant could be more pathogenic than currently circulating Omicron strains. BLOOMBERG More On This Topic Updated Covid-19 vaccines offer better protection than original shots, US study shows Singapore has successfully transitioned to living with Covid-19: Experts Related Stories What you need to know about S'pore's new Covid-19 vaccination strategy Asia stepping up fight against more infectious Covid-19 variants Hong Kong cements Covid-19 tests with centres just a 15-minute walk Covid-19 wave looms in Europe amid vaccine fatigue and false sense of security Long Covid remains a mystery, though theories are emerging askST: What is excess death and what is Covid-19's true toll on the world? Biden says pandemic is over; survivors and doctors disagree No plans to include Covid-19 vaccinations in childhood immunisation schedule: Ong Ye Kung Human development set back 5 years by Covid-19, other crises: UN report Covid-19's harmful effects on the brain reverberate years later: Study
