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Severe COVID-19 Wakes Dormant Viruses
11 Aug
Summary
- Severe COVID-19 can reactivate 11 dormant viruses in the body.
- Anelloviridae reactivation linked to long COVID and disability.
- Herpes virus reactivation may respond to inflammation, not suppression.
A recent study indicates that severe COVID-19 may trigger the reactivation of dormant viruses residing within the human body. Researchers analyzed over 200,000 biological samples from 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients over a one-year period.
During the first 40 days following hospital admission for SARS-CoV-2, 11 different dormant viruses were detected reactivating. These included various herpes viruses like Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus, as well as Anelloviridae, a virus family not known to cause disease.
Anelloviridae reactivation was specifically linked to long-term physical disability and the development of long COVID. Additionally, Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus seemed to reactivate due to inflammation rather than immune suppression, suggesting a novel mechanism in severe illness.
While these findings are significant, the study focused on hospitalized patients, and their applicability to mild or moderate cases is uncertain. Furthermore, the research established an association but not a direct causal link between viral reactivation and long COVID or disability.
Further research is necessary to understand the role of these reactivated viruses, particularly Anelloviridae, and to determine if they contribute to disease development. Immunization remains crucial for preventing severe COVID-19 outcomes.
