- An increasing number of COVID-19 survivors are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus several weeks or months after the infection has disappeared in what is informally known as “long COVID”.
- Several studies have shown the wide variety of symptoms that long trucks can experience, with doctors highlighting the seriousness of this COVID-19 complication.
- A new set of studies may finally explain why some people suffer from long COVID. The disease can trigger autoantibodies that harm the body instead of attacking the virus.
The vast majority of COVID-19 patients who have beaten the virus have not yet fought its symptoms. The disease does not disappear after 14 days of fighting the active infection. Many survivors will continue to experience symptoms of COVID-19 for weeks to months. Some of these symptoms mimic the initial disease
There may be no viruses in their systems, but they still have trouble breathing and experience fatigue, pain and other symptoms. This is what is called “Long COVID”, an intriguing chronic coronavirus disease. Doctors have been studying these “long haulers” for months, trying to explain the condition and treat it.
Now, a new series of studies may offer an explanation for the symptoms of Long COVID, as some researchers think they have finally discovered why some people end up suffering a lot after the infection has passed.
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When the body defends itself against a foreign element like the new coronavirus, it develops an immune response to get rid of the pathogen. This includes creating specific antibodies that can neutralize the virus, as white blood cells adapt to recognize the pathogen and fight it again after reinfection. But The New York Times points out that a large number of studies are focused on a type of antibody that will do nothing to block the virus. They are called autoantibodies and are part of the immune response in COVID-19 and attack your own body.
These autoantibodies can persist for several months after infection, which could explain why the symptoms of COVID-19 can last for so long. The conclusion comes from a limited study that needs further validation. Boston Medical Center doctors observed nine patients with COVID-19, five of whom had autoantibodies for at least seven months after infection. “It’s a sign; it is not definitive, ”warned Dr. Nahid Bhadelia in a comment. “We don’t know how prevalent it is and whether or not it may be linked to Covid Long.”
But the Times The report points out that Bhadelia’s work on COVID-19 autoantibodies is not unique:
- a study in October showed that of 52 patients with severe COVID-19, 70% developed autoantibodies against their DNA and proteins that aid in blood clotting;
- a study in October proved that autoantibodies form against carbohydrates in patients with COVID-19, which can lead to neurological signs;
- a study in October also showed that some patients already had existing autoantibodies before infection and then attacked the immune response to COVID-19;
- a study in November showed that half of the individuals had autoantibodies that could cause blood clots and blockages in the blood vessels;
- a study in December showed COVID-19 autoantibodies targeting the immune system, brain cells, connective tissue and clotting factors;
- a study showed that people suffering from rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases (lupus and scleroderma) face an increased risk of death in COVID-19;
- a study said that autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis lead to an increase in coronavirus respiratory complications.
Some of these antibodies may disappear over time, Harvard University immunologist Dr. Shiv Pilai told the newspaper. If so, the symptoms may go away. “That said – yes, it would be interesting if long Covid could be explained by specific autoantibodies,” he added.
Separately, another immunologist commenting on one of the studies identified a silver lining. “We are going to learn some fundamental principles about acute viral infections in people who were not easy to study this way before,” said Dr. Marion Pepper, from the University of Washington in Seattle, to the newspaper.
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