Researchers at Texas A&M University this week reported a new strain of coronavirus called BV-1.
The BV-1 variant was found in a saliva sample taken from a student living off-campus and tested positive for coronavirus on March 5, the university announced on Monday.
The researchers did not find the strain in other individuals, but called it “worrying” because of its genetic makeup because it may be resistant to antibodies.
“Currently we do not know the full significance of this variant, but it has a combination of similar mutations with other variants of concern that can be reported internationally,” said Ben Neuman, chief virologist at the university’s Global Health Research Complex.
He added: “This variant combines the associated genetic markers separately with rapid spread, severe disease and high resistance to neutralizing antibodies.”
The 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 of COVID-19 for adults between the ages of 18 and 24.”
The scientists said they alerted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about BV-1, which is named after its origin in the Brazos Valley region of Texas.
Jessica Flores is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: @jesssmflores