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Severe COVID-19 can reactivate viruses that have remained dormant in the body, while some of this activity is associated with long-term symptoms, according to a study, reports Anadolu.<\/p>\n
Researchers discovered new activity of some common viruses in nearly half of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients they analyzed. The findings, published in the journal Nature, showed that reactivation was associated with more severe COVID-19, increased inflammation and poorer clinical outcomes.<\/p>\n
However, the researchers stressed that the study did not prove that the reactivated viruses caused severe disease or long-term COVID.<\/p>\n
\u2013 More than 1,150 patients were studied.
\nThe study looked at 1,154 adults hospitalized with COVID-19 at 20 US hospitals from May 2020 to March 2021. All participants were unvaccinated and had been infected before new variants of the coronavirus became dominant.<\/p>\n
Researchers analyzed blood, nasal swabs and lung samples from patients placed on mechanical ventilation. Participants were followed during their hospital stay and up to 12 months afterwards. Evidence of at least one reactivated virus was found in 550 of the 1,148 patients with sufficient data or 47.9 percent.<\/p>\n
Most of these patients had only one additional virus detected during the acute phase of COVID-19. The reactivated pathogens included members of the herpesvirus family, such as Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus, as well as aneloviruses.<\/p>\n
These viruses usually infect people early in life and can stay in the body without causing symptoms, as the immune system keeps them in check.<\/p>\n
– The viruses were reactivated at different times.
\nThe researchers found that the viruses did not reactivate at the same time.<\/p>\n
Epstein-Barr virus activity was more common near the time the patients were hospitalized. Detectable viral material was found in 24 percent of participants during the first eight days after admission, before gradually decreasing.<\/p>\n
Anellovirus activity was common early in admission and remained relatively stable until about day 20. Cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus usually reactivated later, peaking about three weeks after hospitalization and showing up mainly in respiratory samples.<\/p>\n
Researchers found associations between severe COVID-19 and reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and aneloviruses. Patients with reactivated viruses had higher levels of inflammatory molecules and changes in immune cells, suggesting the body was reacting to more than just SARS-CoV-2.<\/p>\n
The study found that reactivations were not limited to patients taking immunosuppressive drugs. They often occurred even in people with normally functioning immune systems.<\/p>\n
\u2013 Possible link to long-term COVID
\nAneloviruses were of particular interest, as their activity after hospitalization was associated with physical problems reported by patients with long-term COVID, including fatigue and decreased physical function. This association remained even after the researchers took into account factors such as age, drug-induced immune system suppression, and the severity of the initial infection with COVID-19.<\/p>\n
Aneloviruses are a large family of generally harmless viruses found in about 80 to 90 percent of the population. The study did not find that Epstein-Barr virus activity during the acute phase of COVID-19 was more common in patients who later developed long-term COVID.<\/p>\n
The researchers said the findings could in the future support new methods for predicting or treating severe COVID-19 and long-term COVID, including monitoring patients for reactivation of latent viruses. Existing antiviral drugs may also offer treatment options for some herpesviruses, but clinical studies will be needed to determine whether reactivation treatment improves outcomes in patients.<\/p>\n
The researchers cautioned that the findings may not fully apply to people with mild COVID-19, vaccinated populations or patients infected with newer variants. They called for further studies to determine whether viral reactivation directly contributes to severe COVID-19 and long-term COVID, or is primarily a consequence of the stress and inflammation caused by the disease.<\/p>\n
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