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The research team that alerted the world to the Omikron variant is conducting tests to see what happens in the body when an HIV-infected patient becomes ill with COVID-19. Can the combination of infections be conducive to the emergence of new varieties of SARS-CoV-2?
In South Africa, a team of scientists who last year announced a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 set out to investigate what could happen when patients with untreated HIV develop COVID.
Studies have shown that patients with weakened immune systems, including patients with untreated HIV, may suffer from coronavirus infections, which are often persistent and last for many months. This is because the virus in their body stays there and accumulates mutations.
- The few cases that have been observed and described so far only happen because of accidental surveillance, explained lead author Tongai Maponga. The researcher also emphasized that the researchers intend to focus on HIV patients who suffer from severe immunodeficiency.
Research will focus on two components - patients and how their bodies respond to COVID-19 infection. Experts are also interested in determining whether the combination of infections is likely to generate new variants of the coronavirus. If that's the case, we need to improve our game about how we diagnose these people and make sure they get a prompt diagnosis and treatment, added Maponga to Reuters.
According to Saoirse Fitzpatrick of StopAids, the pandemic has severely impacted HIV validation testing around the world, so addressing both of these public he alth concerns is essential. "A response to COVID that ignores the HIV response is not a sufficient approach to public he alth," she said.
Currently, South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world. In total, over 8 million people are infected, of which about 71% are treated. adults and 45 percent kids. - We have to reiterate that we do not want to cause an unnecessary stigmatization of HIV - that is a risk we take by asking these questions, but I think we need to consider them -said.