(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists at the University of Glasgow have found that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A virus (IAV) can form hybrid virus particles in human lung cells.
Biologists have discovered hybrid viral particles in human cell culture, which were formed during simultaneous infection with IAV and RSV viruses.
They contained the structural, functional and genomic components of both parental viruses and were able to infect new cells.
These hybrid virus particles evaded IAV-targeted antibodies and were also able to infect cells that had not been infected by the parent virus.
Although IAV infections are usually limited to the upper respiratory tract, hybrid virus particles with structural and functional components of both viruses can cause IAV infections in the lower respiratory tract.
These results indicate a potential increase in pathogenicity and disease severity with co-infection, as well as possible complications, including pneumonia.
The authors of the work urge scientists to pay more attention to the study of coinfections.
The authors stressed that their work has focused on cell culture and studies in living organisms are required to confirm their findings.
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