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Specialists rule out that it was a reactivation of the original infection, since the genetic codes of the last virus were very different from those of the first.
A 25-year-old Washoe (Nevada, USA) resident is the first person in North America to be reinfected with COVID-19 and to develop the disease more seriously than the first time, which raises doubts among the scientific community about the immunity obtained after infection, collects a study published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The patient, who has not been identified, took a test on April 18, 2020, which came back positive. Since March 25, he had developed symptoms typical of a viral infection, such as a sore throat, cough, headache, nausea and diarrhea. During isolation, the patient’s symptoms resolved on April 27 and he continued to feel well, testing negative in two tests on May 9 and May 26.
However, on May 31 the patient presented a picture of fever, headache, dizziness, cough, nausea, and diarrhea. After five days, the man consulted a primary care physician because he had difficulty breathing and ended up requiring continuous oxygen support in the hospital.
According to specialists, the original infection was not reactivated after remaining latent, but the patient got sick twice coronavirus. In fact, comparing the genetic codes of the virus taken during each symptom record revealed that they were too different to be caused by the same infection.
Therefore, scientists assume that exposure to covid-19 does not necessarily translate into guaranteed total immunity. “Our findings have implications for the role of vaccination in response to COVID-19. If we have actually reported a case of reinfection, the initial exposure to SARS-CoV-2 might not lead to a level of immunity that is 100% protective for all individuals “, reads the text of the study. In any case, specialists emphasize the need for further research on the subject.
From a public health perspective, all individuals, whether or not they have been previously diagnosed with covid-19, should take the same precautions to prevent infection with coronavirus.
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