A new case report reveals a UK man endured a record-breaking 505-day COVID-19 infection—over 16 months—due to his immunocompromised state. Experts warn these persistent infections can drive new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Lisbon, Portugal, the study examined nine patients with weakened immune systems from organ transplants, HIV, cancer, or other treatments.
Though rare, prolonged COVID-19 infections warrant close study, as they allow the virus extended time to mutate and evade immunity, potentially spawning new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
“Some variants transmit more easily, cause severe disease, or reduce vaccine effectiveness,” explains Dr. Luke Blagdon Snell from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. “One theory suggests these evolve in immunocompromised individuals with persistent SARS-CoV-2. We investigated the mutations and variant evolution in such cases.”
Five of the nine patients showed at least one such mutation.
Infections lasted an average of 73 days, with two exceeding a year—one at 505 days, the longest documented. It surpasses the prior record of 335 days in a 47-year-old Maryland woman.
Contracted in early 2020 amid multiple health issues, the patient faced repeated hospitalizations over 72 weeks, testing positive via PCR each time. Genetic sequencing confirmed it was the same persistent virus, not reinfection.
Remdesivir failed to clear the infection. The patient, who had comorbidities, passed away in 2021; cause undisclosed. Researchers advocate for advanced treatments to combat persistent infections.
