What drives persistent symptoms after COVID-19? A newly published study from the EuCARE team explores how SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia (the presence of viral RNA in the blood) and immune dysregulation may explain the early persistence of symptoms in unvaccinated, hospitalised patients.
📌 Key findings:
– Patients with persistent symptoms had a weaker immune response and lower levels of virus-specific T and B cells.
– RNAemia was more common and correlated with immune alterations.
– Some immune features remained altered even after 3 years.
– However, early immune dysregulation wasn’t linked to long-term symptoms, underlining the complexity of Long COVID.
This study brings us closer to understanding the biological mechanisms behind Long COVID and could guide future therapeutic approaches.
📖 Read the full paper