According to the researcher who discovered the Omicron variant, it can appear thanks to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). explanations.
How did the Omicron variant appear? Tulio de Oliveira, the South African researcher and bioinformatician who identified this new version of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has (possibly) found an answer to this thorny question.
In June 2021The researcher (who discovered the Omicron variant at the end of November 2021) and his team began following an HIV-positive (i.e., infected with HIV or HIV) patient with Covid-19.
The patient remained positive for Covid-19 for 216 days. During this period, researchers observed 13 unique mutations and about 30 genetic modifications in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus circulating in his body.
HIV paves the way for the ‘evolution’ of the coronavirus
researchers hypothesis? Because she was HIV positive and not adequately treated against HIV, the patient was also immunocompromised; Perhaps this particular situation provided a favorable “evolutionary ground” for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which was able to mutate and change … even (possibly) giving rise to the Omicron variant.
As a reminder, in South Africa, about 5.5% of young people aged 15-24 were infected with HIV in 2018; In total, in this country of about 58 million people, there are 7.52 million people living with HIV.
However, according to a study published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2021, HIV infection is a risk factor for developing a severe form of Covid-19, and a factor that promotes hospitalization for patients.
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