COVID-19 Reactivates Dormant Viruses, Offering New Clues to Long COVID
COVID-19 can reactivate dormant viruses, including Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus, according to a large NIH-funded study. Researchers also linked Anelloviridae reactivation to long COVID, revealing potential targets for future diagnostics and treatments. The post COVID-19 Reactivates Dormant Viruses, Offering New Clues to Long COVID appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology…
A recent study published in the journal Nature reveals that COVID-19 infection may reactivate dormant viruses in humans, potentially contributing to long COVID and autoimmune diseases. Researchers from 15 biomedical institutions across the United States, led by Boston Children's Hospital, analyzed data from over 1,154 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
The study, published in "Virus reactivation in acute and long COVID-19," discovered that 11 dormant viruses, including Epstein-Barr, herpes simplex 1, cytomegalovirus, and Anelloviridae, were reactivated within the first 40 days of admission. The Anelloviridae family, which is typically latent in about 90% of the population, showed a strong association with long-term physical disability and long COVID.
This finding challenges the prevailing belief that chronic viral reactivation is mainly due to immunosuppression, suggesting that reactivation occurs frequently in otherwise healthy individuals during severe illness and in association with increased systemic inflammation. Authors warn that understanding these viral reactivations could help develop better diagnostics and treatments for long COVID, especially given the ongoing threat of future coronavirus pandemics.
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