Some asthma sufferers may have an increased susceptibility to influenza and could result in flu mutations. Researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered that paucigranulocytic asthma (PGA), a non-allergic form of the condition, enables the flu virus to flourish in greater numbers in sufferers.
"We were first tipped off about this during the 2009 swine flu pandemic," UQ PhD candidate Ms. Katina Hulme said. She continued, “Asthma was identified as the most common underlying medical condition in individuals hospitalized with flu, and these individuals were at a greater risk of ICU admission. Our lab studies have found that non-allergic asthma, or PGA, can suppress immune response to flu and with the immune system compromised, the virus is left unchecked and can replicate more than it does in a healthy individual. And, since the flu is not so good at proof-reading its genetic code when replicating, it makes a lot of mistakes, and with more replication comes more opportunity for mutations to emerge.”
The study demonstrated the risk that prolonged infection in immunocomprised patients can increase the risk of virus variants. This is relevant to SARS-CoV-2 viral strains as well. It is paramount that viral research continues to find means to decrease infection timelines, which would translate to a lower risk of variant production.