Diagnostics
A moving target
Since SARS-CoV-2 emerged, a number of different drugs have been developed to prevent the worst excesses of its pathophysiology. One issue that complicates treatment plans, however, is that with every mutation, therapeutics can become limited or even ineffectual, as new strains build an immunity to treatment. Kim Thomas speaks to Professor Jason Gallagher and
Dr Zania Stamataki to learn how mutations to the virus can necessitate a different approach to treating it.
ince Covid-19’s first appearance in December 2019, scientists all over the world have been remarkably successful in developing effective treatments and vaccines at a rapid pace. However, they have also been frustrated by the need to tackle a constantly transforming virus. Covid-19 is mutating as it spreads, and while most of the multitude of variants are fairly inconsequential, some have genetic changes that enable the virus to escape immunity and cause severe illness those who contract it. This means a treatment that works with the current variant may not work with the next iteration. At the time of writing, the UK has named five variants of concern: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron.
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Covid-19 is a “two-phase disease”, points out Jason Gallagher, clinical professor and specialist in infectious diseases at Temple University. “First is a viral phase where the virus is replicating the highest and the symptoms come from that. And then people who are unfortunate enough to not fight that off progress to an inflammatory phase,” he adds.
Patients who progress to an inflammatory phase are usually hospitalised, and doctors treat the inflammation by reducing the body’s immune response. By a process of trial and error, doctors were able to identify a number of repurposed drugs, such as dexamethasone, that had been successfully used with other inflammatory diseases
Practical Patient Care /
www.practical-patient-care.com
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