Researchers from UC San Francisco have made a startling discovery that could help explain why some people suffer from long COVID, a condition where symptoms linger long after the initial infection.
They found that traces of the COVID-19 virus can remain in the blood and tissues of patients for over a year, and in some cases, more than two years.
Led by Michael Peluso, MD, an infectious disease expert at the UCSF School of Medicine, the team presented their findings at a recent conference.
They used highly sensitive tests to detect parts of the virus, known as COVID antigens, in blood samples up to 14 months post-infection and in tissue samples for over two years.
This evidence suggests that, for some, the virus doesn’t completely leave the body even when they appear to recover.
During the early days of the pandemic, COVID-19 was seen as a short-lived illness for many.
However, as time went on, a number of people, including those who were healthy before their infection, started reporting persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and more serious vascular and digestive issues.
This condition, dubbed long COVID, has puzzled doctors and researchers.
The UCSF study involved 171 individuals who had contracted COVID-19. By focusing on the virus’s “spike” protein, which it uses to enter human cells, the researchers discovered that the virus lingered in the bodies of some participants much longer than expected.
Those who had been hospitalized or felt sicker without hospitalization were more likely to have detectable levels of COVID antigens.
The team also explored tissue samples from the UCSF Long COVID Tissue Bank, finding viral RNA up to two years after infection.
This RNA was located in the connective tissue, home to many immune cells, indicating that the virus might still be provoking an immune response long after the acute infection had passed.
In some instances, it appeared the virus could still be active, raising concerns about its role in long COVID and related health risks like heart attack and stroke.
These findings are groundbreaking, suggesting that the persistence of COVID fragments in the body could be driving the prolonged symptoms seen in long COVID patients.
Peluso and his team are now participating in clinical trials to test whether treatments like monoclonal antibodies or antivirals can help clear the virus remnants from the body and alleviate long COVID symptoms.
Although more research is needed to fully understand the long-term impacts of COVID-19, these discoveries mark a significant step forward.
By shedding light on how the virus can remain in the body, scientists are closer to unraveling the mysteries of long COVID and finding effective treatments for those affected.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about vitamin D deficiency linked to severe COVID-19, death, and how diets could help manage post-COVID syndrome.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that low-sodium plant-based diets may prevent COVID-19 better, and results showing zinc could help reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
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