Researchers at Texas A&M University reported a new strain of the coronavirus, the BV-1 this week.
The BV-1 variant was found in a saliva sample from a student who lives off campus and tested positive for the coronavirus on March 5, the university announced Monday.
Researchers have not found the strain in other individuals, but they called its genetic makeup ‘concerning’ because it may be resistant to antibodies.
“We don’t know the full significance of this variant at this time, but it has a combination of mutations similar to other internationally notifiable variants of care,” said Ben Neuman, chief virologist at the university’s Global Health Research Complex.
He added, “This variant combines genetic markers separately associated with rapid spread, severe disease, and high resistance to neutralizing antibodies.”
Researchers said the student tested positive for the virus for about a month, “indicating that the variant may cause a longer-lasting infection than is typical for COVID-19 in adults 18-24 years old.”
Scientists said they informed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about BV-1, which is named for its origin in the Brazos Valley region of Texas.
Jessica Flores is a staff writer at San Francisco Chronicle. E-mail address: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores