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Researchers from the US have reported the first confirmed case of coronavirus reinfection in the country.
A 25-year-old man with no known immune disorders or underlying conditions was infected with Covid-19 on two separate occasions, according to a study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.
While the authors said more research was needed, they added that the findings indicate that previous exposure to the virus may not guarantee full immunity and that everyone should adhere to control measures.
It is the fifth confirmation of reinfection worldwide, the researchers said, with at least four other confirmed cases in Belgium, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Ecuador.
The second infection for the patient, who lives in Washoe County, Nevada, was more severe than the first and resulted in an oxygen support hospitalization.
Researchers from the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory and the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine said he tested positive for the virus in April this year and then tested negative on two separate occasions.
Experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 in June, which included fever, headache, dizziness, cough, nausea and diarrhea, he was admitted to the hospital and tested positive for a second time.
Genetic sequencing of the virus showed that it was infected twice by different strains of Sars-CoV-2, according to the researchers.
Lead author Mark Pandori of the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory said: “It is important to note that this is a unique finding and does not provide the generalizability of this phenomenon.
“While more research is needed, the possibility of reinfections could have significant implications for our understanding of Covid-19 immunity, especially in the absence of an effective vaccine.
“It also strongly suggests that people who have tested positive for Sars-CoV-2 should continue to take serious precautions when it comes to the virus, including social distancing, wearing face masks and hand washing.”
He added that more research is needed to understand how long the immunity of people exposed to the virus can last and why second infections, although rare, present as more serious.
The authors gave various explanations for the severity of the second infection, including the patient who encountered a very high dose of the virus when he was reinfected.
It may also have come into contact with a more virulent version of the virus, according to the researchers.
They added that confirmed reinfections had occurred among patients showing symptoms, meaning that reinfections could occur among those who are asymptomatic and therefore go unnoticed.
Pandori added: “Overall, there is a lack of comprehensive genomic sequencing of Covid-19 positive cases both in the US and around the world, as well as a lack of detection and testing, limiting the ability to researchers and public health officials to diagnose, monitor, and obtain genetic tracing of the virus. “
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