How 'Long COVID' affects our immune systems

[2greys]

A world-leading research collaboration in South Australia has delivered crucial insight into the lasting immune system dysregulation caused by COVID-19.

The study, conducted by experts at SAHMRI, Flinders University, the University of Adelaide, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital, showed that people’s immune systems were significantly altered six months after their COVID-19 infection, with the immune cells and gene expression experienced during this post-infection period holding clues to the intriguing ‘Long COVID’ symptoms affecting some patients.

The immune systems of 69 participants between 20 and 80 years of age ‘COVID-19 SA’ were examined over a six-month period, following infection with the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Of the total cohort, 47 were recovering from mild infection, six from moderate and 13 were recovering from severe or critical COVID-19 disease.

The unique longitudinal analysis examined antibody responses, the expression of thousands of genes in the blood, and approximately 130 different types of immune cells, via blood samples taken at 12, 16 and 24-weeks post infection. Responses were compared to healthy controls.

news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2...

medRvix. Pre-print Research Paper (PDF file):

medrxiv.org/content/10.1101...

[2greys]

With this research, I question what affect this has with vaccination and subsequent 'Breakthrough Infections'?

[SORRELHIPPO in reply to 2greys]

I suppose we need to know exactly what effect there is from the "dysregulated gene expression and immune system", If they are linked to the cardiac version of Long Covid, would we be more susceptible to things like Rheumatic Heard Disease, until/if our system gets completely back to normal.