Researchers at Texas A&M University reported this week that a new strain of the coronavirus called BV-1.
The BV-1 variant was found in a saliva sample taken from a student living off campus and tested positive for the coronavirus on March 5, the university announced Monday.
Researchers have not found the strain in other individuals, but call its genetic makeup ‘worrying’ because it is resistant to antibodies.
“We do not currently know the full meaning of this variant, but it does contain a combination of mutations similar to other international knowledge variants,” Ben Neuman, chief virologist at the university’s Global Health Research Complex, said in a statement.
He adds: “This variant combines genetic markers separately that are associated with rapid spread, serious diseases and high resistance to neutralizing antibodies.”
According to researchers, the student tested positive for the virus for about a month. This suggests that the variant may cause a prolonged infection typical of COVID-19 for adults aged 18-24 years. ‘
Scientists have said they have informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about BV-1, which is named after its origins in the Brazos Valley region of Texas.
Jessica Flores is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email Address: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores