Higher body temperature restricts two Omicron variants’ replication: study

Japanese scientists have found that the replicative capacity of two SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants decreases significantly at 40 degrees Celsius, compared with that at 37 degrees Celsius, the normal human body temperature. This may be one of the possible reasons why omicron variants are less pathogenic that Delta ones. The study compared the replicative capacity of one delta variant and two Omicron variants in the presence of a fever, infecting human alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) generated from induced pluripotent stem cells and incubating them at two different temperatures. The researchers said higher body temperature might restrict the replication of the two omicron variants in the lungs, which could limit disease severity. Further study is needed understand viral pathogenesis.

Sources: CGTN