In September 2020, this French patient had already been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Although not serious, the disease had resolved itself, causing fever and moderate difficulty breathing. The patient had been followed at the Louis Mourrier hospital (AP-HP) in the team of Professor Jean-Damien Ricard, who treated him again when reinfected with the South African variant, explains a press release from the APH-HP. The observation was also published on the Oxford Academic website.
At the time, a PCR test was carried out and confirmed that the patient was positive, before becoming negative during a check in December 2020. In addition, his serology indicated that his body had made antibodies and was apparently protected against reinfection. Recently, the patient presented again an episode of fever and breathing difficulties which led him to Louis Mourrier hospital.
Reinfection resulting in acute respiratory distress
The doctors performed a PCR test which turned out to be positive. When sequencing the virus, they realized that he had the South African variant. This time, his condition deteriorated rapidly, he presented with acute respiratory distress, to the point of being transferred to intensive care and intubated with mechanical ventilation.
While it is unclear which form of the virus the patient first contracted, temporality rules out the possibility that it was the South African variant. It is the first case of serious reinfection by a mutation of Covid-19. This also suggests that being immune to the virus does not protect against all its typologies. This example also reinforces the questions concerning the effectiveness of the vaccine against the various mutations.
Sources: AP-HP, Oxford Academic
Read also:
- Covid-19: cross-immunity, what is it exactly?
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