An intensification of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 currently appears to be beginning in France.
- Researchers have just established that Covid-19 can cause drug resistance.
- However, this resistance is not very significant or very durable.
- “An intensification of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be beginning in France, the evolution of which will need to be monitored vigilantly over the coming weeks,” indicates Public Health France.
The Covid-19 virus can cause mild drug resistance, according to a new study published in JAMA.
Covid-19 and drug resistance: nirmatrelvir and remdesivir tested
To achieve this result, a cohort of 156 people in their fifties was analyzed. In this group, 63 individuals received no treatment for Covid-19, 79 received nirmatrelvir and 14 remdesivir.
“Nirmatrelvir and remdesivir are antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 recommended for use in mild to moderate cases of Covid-19 to reduce the risk of progression to severe disease and hospitalization in people at high risk”, recall the authors of the study.
Nasal swabs were then taken to obtain viral RNA for analysis.
Covid-19: udrug resistance no longer common in immunocompromised patients
Mutations conferring resistance to nirmatrelvir were identified in nine patients who took the drug and two who did not take it. In the treated group, resistance appeared more frequently in the most immunocompromised patients. However, 90% of these mutations were only found at very low levels and were transient, meaning the virus subsequently reverted to its initial state.
For remdesivir, the picture is similar: the mutations were only found in immunocompromised patients (two out of 14). They were also infrequent and short-lived.
Ultimately, the authors conclude that their data indicate “a low risk of community spread of nirmatrelvir resistance, given current variants and drug use patterns.”
They added that he was “unlikely that these resistance mutations contribute substantially to virological rebound after nirmatrelvir treatment.”
Covid-19: intensification of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in France
“An intensification of the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be beginning in France, the evolution of which will need to be monitored vigilantly over the coming weeks,” noted Public health France in its latest report on Covid-19.
Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without needing special treatment. “Some, however, become seriously ill and require medical attention,” precise WHO (World Health Organization).
