A Dutch man endured the longest recorded COVID-19 infection, lasting an astounding 613 days, before succumbing in the autumn of 2023, as revealed by a study conducted by researchers at the Amsterdam University Medical Center.
The 72-year-old individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was already grappling with a blood disorder when he contracted COVID-19 in February 2022, resulting in a compromised immune system, as reported by TIME. Researchers are set to present a case study on this remarkable instance at a medical summit in Barcelona next week.
The study highlights that the virus underwent over 50 mutations within his body, eventually evolving into an ultra-mutated variant, TIME notes.
This 20-month-long infection surpasses the previous record of a 505-day infection in a British man who also succumbed to the virus.
Despite having received multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines before contracting the Omicron variant, the patient's immune system proved incapable of effectively combating the infection.
Over time, the virus exhibited a remarkable resistance to medical interventions, including sotrovimab, a prominent COVID antibody treatment, within a matter of weeks after administration.
While the super-mutated variant did not spread beyond the patient, its emergence underscores the potential for the virus to genetically evolve, giving rise to new variants.
The study's authors stress the importance of ongoing genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 evolution in immunocompromised individuals with persistent infections, citing the risk posed by such cases.
The research, including the case study of the 72-year-old man, will be presented at the ESCMID Global Congress in Barcelona next week.
Additionally, the study revealed that approximately 24% of American adults who tested positive for COVID-19 experienced symptoms for more than three months.
