A prolonged Delta SARS-CoV-2 infection during the Omicron wave in an HIV immunosuppressed patient
Here, we describe a fatal, prolonged Delta SARS-CoV-2 infection lasting 55 days during the Omicron wave in a severely immunosuppressed HIV patient. We observed persistent viral replication, high within-host mutation rates, and emergence of rare spike mutations. Findings suggest prolonged infections may drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution and reintroduce variants presumed extinct into immune-evasive forms.
Authors
- Santiago Melón (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5770-7902)
- Adrián Muñoz‐Barrera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1561-5898)
- Lucy Abella-Vázquez
- José M. Lorenzo-Salazar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5135-2861)
- Julia Alcoba-Flórez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7778-3248)
- Diego García-Martínez de Artola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0771-5968)
- Rafaela González‐Montelongo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9022-8663)
- Nora Rodríguez-García
Institutions
- Universidad de Oviedo (ES)
- Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (ES)
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ES)
- Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (ES)
- Fundación Canaria de Investigación Sanitaria (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Infectious Diseases
- Published
- 2025-11-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108233
- Primary Topic
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- European Regional Development Fund