Even today, the world has not fully recovered from the Covid pandemic. Now, there’s a big reveal. Scientists have discovered small tumors in the blood of long-term Covid patients and changes linked to the immune system, which may cause this long-lasting condition and may also open the way to future treatments.
Most people fully recover from a Covid-19 infection after a few days of a cold, sore throat, cough or fever. But many patients have long-term symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, body aches and shortness of breath. This is known as long covid. The reasons behind these symptoms are not yet clear. So let’s see what scientists have now discovered about the cause behind these symptoms.
What did the research reveal?
Now scientists have observed two important changes in chronic Covid patients. In which changes in microclots and immune cells neutrophils present in the blood have been observed. Microclots are abnormal lumps of clotted protein circulating in the blood, first seen in samples from Covid patients.
Research has also revealed that white blood cells called neutrophils undergo a special change in chronic Covid patients, causing them to form thread-like structures with their DNA outside. These are called neutrophil extracellular traps, which help detect and destroy infection.
What do the experts say?
Scientists believe that in some Covid patients, this interaction between microclots and NETs sets off a series of reactions in the body that can eventually lead to prolonged Covid. It is believed that microclots promote excessive formation of NETs, ​​leading to increased swelling and clotting-related problems and prolongation of COVID-like symptoms. Structural analysis of plasma from chronic Covid patients revealed higher amounts of microclots and NETs compared to healthy individuals. The study also revealed that patients had larger microclots.
According to study author Alain Thierry, “This finding suggests that there are physiological processes going on between microclots and NETs that can spiral out of control and cause disease.” Researcher Riccia Pretorius explained that this interaction can protect microclots from the body’s natural clot-breaking process, allowing them to stay in the blood longer and cause problems related to blood vessels.
In a study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, scientists reported that excessive formation of NETs makes microclots more stable, a factor that may contribute to chronic Covid symptoms. The research team says the discovery offers another opportunity to understand long-term covid.
