2023-08-17 12:00:03
Months following being infected with the Covid virus, Sars Cov 2, some people continue to present symptoms, whether in the form of tiredness, shortness of breath, cough, muscle aches or anxiety, among others.
This phenomenon has been called Covid Long and scientists seek to know why. It is estimated that it affects between 10 to 30% of infected people and at the moment it is difficult to diagnose and treat this syndrome.
A team of researchers from Inserm and of the Paris City University, in collaboration with the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal, discovered that this might be explained by abnormalities in the immune system associated with the persistent presence of the virus in the body’s mucosa.
At the moment there is no specific biomarker that allows the diagnosis of Long Covid, but the scientists identified certain correlations that might help predict if the person will develop this syndrome.
Specifically, the researchers studied the immune system of 164 personas six months following a vast majority had contracted covid. They analyzed blood samples from 127 people infected with Covid, of which half had developed a long covid. A group of 37 people did not suffer from any infection.
The scientists were primarily interested in particular immune cells, CD8+ T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes directly attack infected cells, injecting toxic enzymes to kill the virus.
The researchers identified some blood markers present six months following infection, among them, an excess of granzima A (from the Tcd8 lymphocyte), an inflammatory protein, while the integrina beta 7 (also present in CD8 T) was found in low quantity.
On the other hand, they observed that IgA antibodies Virus-specific antibodies are in excess six months following infection, and these antibodies usually disappear by within days of becoming infected with the virus.
Interview with the researcher Marne Azarias:
MAG SALUD 2023_08_17 LONG COVID AND MUCOSAS long version f/v 13’38”
These observations suggest the persistence of the virus in the organism, particularly in the intestinal mucosa. The scientists’ hypothesis is that SARS-CoV2, originally in the lung, went to “refuge” the intestinal mucosa, being a more permissive tissue.
Interviewee: Marne Azariasco-author of this research whose results were published in the journal Nature Communication.
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