Severe COVID-19 linked to reactivation of some dormant viruses, study finds
Summary
A new study found that severe COVID-19 can cause some dormant viruses, like herpes viruses, to become active again within 40 days of hospital admission. This reactivation may be linked to long COVID symptoms and long-term disability, but more research is needed to understand the connection.Key Facts
- Researchers studied 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and analyzed over 200,000 biological samples.
- They detected reactivation of 11 different dormant viruses after severe COVID-19 infection.
- Reactivated viruses included herpes viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus.
- Anelloviridae viruses, which usually do not cause illness, were also reactivated and linked to long COVID and physical disability.
- Some viruses reactivated due to inflammation, not just immune system weakness.
- The study only involved patients with severe COVID-19, so results may not apply to milder cases.
- The research did not prove that virus reactivation causes long COVID symptoms, only that the two are connected.
- Experts say more studies are needed to understand if these viruses actually cause health problems or just change during severe illness.
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