Staying ahead of dangerous virus mutations

Arizona and the nation faced a “tripledemic” with an upsurge of three viral diseases — influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — in the first four months of 2023. The upsurge posed questions about how viruses can mutate in ways that make it possible to evade vaccines.

In a first-of-its-kind study led by Biodesign Institute researchers, mutations were found in key areas of RSV, which the pathogen may have developed in an effort to evade targeting by vaccines designed to eradicate it. The feat was accomplished by analyzing viral genomic sequences from patient samples collected in Arizona during the 2022-23 season.

The innovative study, published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, underscores the importance of tracking viral evolution to improve vaccine formulations.