Two common respiratory viruses can form hybrid particles with enhanced infectiousness, British researchers warned last night.
So far, the phenomenon has only been found in a laboratory study – but scientists in Glasgow say it may help explain why coinfection with two viruses can lead to especially bad outcomes.
The study involved testing the impact of infecting human lung cells with influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The researchers found that one hybrid virus particle could infect new cells with flu using the entry mechanism from the RSV virus, enabling it to avoid immune responses.
They reported their findings in Nature Microbiology.
Researcher Professor Pablo Murcia, from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said: “This was an unexpected but very exciting discovery that challenges what we know about how viral particles are formed within a cell.
“Our next steps are to find out if hybrid particles are formed in patients with coinfections, and to identify which virus combinations can generate hybrid particles, although our working assumption is that only few respiratory viruses will form hybrid viruses.”
Fellow researcher Dr Joanne Haney said: “Respiratory viruses exist as part of a community of many viruses that all target the same region of the body, like an ecological niche. We need to understand how these infections occur within the context of one another to gain a fuller picture of the biology of each individual virus.
“Coinfection studies can help us in preparing for future pandemics by understanding how the introduction of one virus can influence and interact with other circulating viruses.”
Coinfection by influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus produces hybrid virus particles. Nature Microbiology 24 October 2022
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