Researchers heal man after 411 days of corona infection

After 411 days with consistently positive tests, a sick person has finally been cured of his corona infection, according to British researchers. In a study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, a team of scientists describes how they were able to cure the 59-year-old's infection after 13 months by analyzing the genetic code of his virus and using it to find the right antidote.

Persistent corona infections are different from long covid and recurring infections. They occur in a small number of patients with a weakened immune system. These people could be coronavirus positive for months or even years while the infection "simmers all the time," said Luke Snell, a medic at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust on Friday.

The patient in the study had a compromised immune system due to a kidney transplant. He contracted the coronavirus in December 2020 and remained positive until January this year. To determine if the patient had an ongoing infection, the researchers used rapid genetic analysis via nanopore sequencing. This can deliver results within 24 hours.

The investigation revealed that the 59-year-old had contracted the B.1 variant that was prevalent at the end of 2020, and the scientists were able to adjust the antibody treatment accordingly. Such treatments are not effective against newer corona variants such as Omikron, which is why they are no longer used frequently.

At a specialist conference in April, the research team announced the longest known persistent infection: A man had tested positive for the corona virus for 505 days before his death.