Scientists in Texas have identified a variant of the coronavirus that could be a challenge for patients and healthcare professionals trying to treat it.
Texas A&M scientists say the variant, which they call BV-1, is currently only found in one person with mild symptoms. It was discovered in the saliva sample of a student taken as part of the university’s COVID-19 testing program.
However, they felt it was important to tell the scientific community because experiments suggest that antibodies are not effective in controlling variants with the same genetic markers as BV-1.
“We do not currently know the full meaning of this variant, but it has a combination of mutations similar to other internationally reportable variants of concern,” said Texas A & Ms Ben Neuman, Chief Virologist for Global Health Research Complex.
“This variant combines genetic markers separately that are associated with rapid spread, serious diseases and high resistance to neutralizing antibodies.”
Scientists say the BV-1 variant is related to the coronavirus variant identified in the United Kingdom.
The student’s sample was tested positive for COVID-19 on 5 March, and he gives a second sample which was also tested positive on 25 March. A sample taken on April 9 is negative. Scientists say that this 20-day stretch with two positive COVID-19 results may indicate a longer than typical infection for this variant.
The student told scientists that he had mild “cold-like symptoms” in mid-March and that they had disappeared by April.
“Although we do not yet understand the full meaning of BV-1, the variant emphasizes a continuing need for strict supervision and genomic testing, even among young adults with no symptoms or only mild symptoms,” Neuman said.
According to them, Texas A & M’s laboratories have found ‘scores’ of coronavirus mutations, as part of their widespread genetic sequencing program that includes samples from a wide range of students and patients.