Scientists from the Academic Center for Pathomorphological and Genetic-Molecular Diagnostics and the Medical University of Bialystok (MUB) have identified several cases of coexistence of two variants of the coronavirus in one sample.

The studies were carried out as part of the national program for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 virus variants “MAPA RT-COVAR”.

Genetic analyzes involving the sequencing of entire viral genomes showed that at least 11 patients had genetic material of two “worrying” variants the Delta variant and the Alpha variant in their samples. At the turn of April and May this year, a similar case was also found, but because it was a single case, it was not decided to deepen the analysis.

Scientists have developed a working hypothesis that perhaps the phenomenon of co-infection at the level of SARS-CoV-2 sub-variants has emerged now, as it is at this point that the Delta variant begins to displace the dominant Alpha variant since February / March 2021. The details of the biological mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 subvariant co-infection are not known.