A new study from UCLA shows that a viral protein other than the well-known spike protein may play an important role in severe COVID-19 and possibly even long-term COVID. The protein, called the nucleocapsid protein, is found inside the virus and is responsible for protecting its genetic material.
The researchers discovered that this protein affects the immune system in two opposite ways. Early in the infection, it suppresses the body’s antiviral defenses, which helps the virus establish itself. At the same time, it can later overactivate immune cells called macrophages. These release large amounts of inflammatory signaling substances, which can lead to severe inflammation and damage to the body’s tissues.
In laboratory experiments, the researchers saw that the severe inflammation caused the protective barriers of the blood vessels to become more permeable, especially in models of the blood vessels of the heart. This could help explain why some people with COVID-19 suffer from heart problems and other complications. The variant of the virus that had the strongest inflammatory effect was the delta variant.
The researchers believe that the results may help explain some of the long-term complications seen after COVID-19, where persistent overactive inflammation is thought to play an important role. They also believe that future treatments or vaccines that target the nucleocapsid protein, rather than just the spike protein, could reduce harmful inflammation more specifically and thereby protect, among other things, the heart and blood vessels.
The study was conducted on cell models in the laboratory and shows a possible biological mechanism. It does not prove that this alone causes long-term COVID in humans, but provides a new and important piece of the puzzle in understanding how SARS-CoV-2 can cause long-term symptoms.
Credit: Explaining text by Patrik Andersson (Facebook group “SARS-CoV-2 Omvärldsbevakning”)
Author: Peter Lindberg
Peter Lindberg is a commercial photographer & videographer, once educated to become an electronics engineer. Always been a science buff and interested in medicine and technology. Main hobbies are cars/racing and music. Lives in the western Sweden countryside farmland locally called "Schlätta".
A new large study of over 1,150 people hospitalized for COVID-19 shows that an infection with SARS-CoV-2 can activate viruses that had previously been dormant in the body. Almost half of the patients experienced such a virus reactivation, even though they had no known compromised immune system.
The researchers found that Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and so-called anelloviruses, among others, became active during different stages of the disease. People in whom these viruses were reactivated more often had a more severe COVID-19 in the first few weeks.
The study also investigated whether virus reactivation could be linked to long-term COVID. Unlike some previous studies, no clear connection was found between Epstein–Barr virus and long-term symptoms. However, a connection was seen between activation of anelloviruses and persistent symptoms such as fatigue and reduced physical strength. However, the researchers emphasize that the study cannot prove that the viruses cause the symptoms – only that they occur together.
The results also suggest that activated anelloviruses can affect the immune system and contribute to impaired immune regulation, but this needs to be confirmed in more studies.
The researchers point out that the participants in the study were unvaccinated and were infected with the early variants of the coronavirus before mid-2021. Therefore, it cannot be said that the results apply in the same way to people who have been vaccinated or infected with later virus variants.
The next step will be to investigate whether drugs that can prevent dormant viruses from activating can also reduce the risk of or alleviate long-term symptoms after covid-19. This could provide a better understanding of why some people develop long-term covid while others recover completely. (Translated from Swedish text written by Patrik Andersson in FB group SARS-CoV-2 Omvärldsbevakning )
A large randomized trial investigated whether vitamin D3 supplementation can improve the course of COVID-19. The study included 1,747 people who had recently been diagnosed with COVID-19 and their household contacts. Participants were given either high doses of vitamin D3 for one month or a placebo.
The results showed that vitamin D did not reduce how often patients needed healthcare, such as hospital visits, emergency room visits or doctor visits. It also did not reduce the severity of symptoms, and it did not affect the risk of family members in the same household becoming infected.
However, the researchers saw a slight trend towards fewer persistent symptoms after two months in those who received vitamin D. Around 21% in the vitamin D group reported long-term symptoms compared to 25% in the placebo group. However, the difference was small and not statistically significant.
The researchers therefore believe that vitamin D is unlikely to reduce acute illness or the need for care in COVID-19, but that it may be worth studying further whether vitamin D can affect the risk of long-term symptoms after infection. No safety concerns with the treatment were reported.
Credit: Patrik Andersson
The article describes an unusual but serious case in which a person with a pre-existing inflammatory disease (psoriasis) became severely impaired after a covid-19 infection.
After the person had covid, a high fever, severe skin rashes and a general deterioration in condition quickly developed. It turned out to be a severe form of psoriasis that can affect the entire body and in some cases become life-threatening. This type of deterioration is unusual but known in medicine.
The researchers explain this by how the immune system reacts. Covid-19 can affect the immune system for a long time, even after the infection itself has passed. In some people, this can lead to the immune system becoming overactive and starting to drive inflammation in the body. If you already have an inflammatory disease, it can then flare up severely.
They point out in particular that certain immune cells and signaling substances in the body can increase after the infection, which can create an imbalance that triggers the disease. So it is no longer about the virus itself, but about how the body reacts afterwards.
The conclusion is that in some cases, COVID-19 can act as a trigger for serious inflammatory conditions, especially in people who already have a vulnerability. This does not mean that this is common, but it shows that the infection can have more long-term and complex effects than just an acute respiratory illness.
Credit: Patrik Andersson, Sweden
The WHO warns that misinformation about vaccines is on the rise again. This is making more people unsure or negative about vaccination, which could lead to fewer people getting vaccinated.
At the same time, resources for research are decreasing, which could slow the development of new vaccines.
Vaccines have saved over 150 million lives in the past 50 years, but if trust continues to decline, there is a risk that diseases that were previously under control will start to spread again.
Therefore, the WHO emphasizes that it is important to counter misinformation and strengthen trust in vaccines.
Credit: Patrik Andersson
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New Addition!
I have added a page (1 st part) of unsorted Covid links, and also some about other linked or unlinked pathogens that we can learn from. Some are already published here, but not all. I will likely add a second page with more of the link I have collected over the last 5 years. Peter
Long Covid affects the school experience and ability to participate in education. Kind of obvious but we need studies like this to end ignorance in the matter.
Not good news for anyone who wants to have children. And long term this probably hits those who are children now really hard with repeated infections likely making things worse.
Having had Covid-19 increases the risk to develop other illnesses by 78%. Due to risk increase in most other aspects after each repeated Covid infections it is probably likely to further increase this risk.
Nope. Been debunked for both infections and allergens.
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/is-the-hygiene-hypothesis-true